Double-Cross
by deepwater1978
Summary: Her mission was to solve her father's murder. She had deceived her way into his company and kept secrets from him after convincing him he could trust her. She wanted the truth. And she wouldn't let anything get in her way when it came to finding out the truth.
1. Chapter 1

Every little girl had a hero, someone they looked up to. To little girls, their dad was everything to them. Her father was Elena Gilbert's everything. Her hero, her role model, and her best friend.

Elena was eleven years old when her world shattered—came to a crashing halt. Laughing and living a carefree life was easy when she was oblivious to the world's cruelty. That was when she had her first real life lesson. The world was a cruel place.

Her little brother, Jeremy was outside with her jumping in and out of the sprinklers on a hot summer day in Mystic Falls. It was their favourite thing to do together, something they couldn't fight about. Their father, Grayson Gilbert was sitting at the patio table reading his newspaper and drinking his coffee like he did every Saturday morning. From the outside, they were the perfect suburban family.

On the inside—lies, hatred, and secrets.

Elena had witnessed something that day that would always be imbedded into her mind. She also had the evidence to prove it...on her very own skin.

After ten years, the memory was still seared into her mind. Everything about that day. That moment.

Elena rubbed her shoulder as she always did when she thought about her father. That was where she had the scar—the memory—of what that day entailed.

Elena had engrossed herself into every crime and detective show possible. She was fascinated with everything relative to murder or criminal cases. She knew it was an odd fascination, but it was all she knew. It was all she had wanted to know.

She was not a "typical" college student. She didn't wave pom-poms around, wear short skirts to get boys to notice her, or even bury her head in a book studying. She didn't have to work to get a guy's attention or care about popularity. She was one that was so damn distracted. The one distracted by her past, and it wouldn't every go away until she knew the truth of that day.

Today Elena was wearing a navy blue pencil skirt, white silk blouse, and nude pumps. She looked like a librarian, but she needed to look the part.

Her hair was up in a tight bun with a few loose curls. She wrapped her late grandmother's pearls around her neck for added effect. She did add a touch of makeup—nothing extreme. Her body was slender—a gymnast's body—but she hadn't trained in years. Not since she was eleven and could no longer deal with the memories each practice brought.

It used to be a passion of her, but now it was only a reminder of her father and the times they spent together every Sunday afternoon at the gym. She loved it before her father died and now it was only a painful memory—a painful passion.

Elena walked into the building marked Salvatore Enterprises and then took the elevator to the third floor. Confidently, she stepped off and walked straight to the secretary's desk.

"Hello, may I help you?" The secretary looked up at Elena bored.

"Hi, I'm Elena Gilbert. I'm here for an intern interview."

"Welcome, Miss Gilbert. Mr Salvatore and his colleagues are a few minutes behind. Please take a seat, and they will be with you shortly."

Elena nodded. "Thank you."

She held the manila envelope in her lap as she took a seat. It contained her college transcripts along with a lengthy essay on why she deserved this unpaid internship.

Elena made sure to do extensive research on this company. It was one of the largest investigative criminal reporting companies in Richmond. They did a little of everything, but the part she was interested in was the criminal cases. They held files to every unsolved murder in the state of Virginia, which was exactly her reason for being here in the first place.

"Miss Gilbert? They are ready for you now."

Elena stood up and smoothed her skirt. She thanked the receptionist as she walked down the short hall to a boardroom.

The internship process was extensive due to all the private information held here. She had to go through an extensive questionnaire online as well as a phone pre-interview, but she was prepared. She was going to nail this interview head on.

One thing her father had always said about her was that she was a real charmer. She had had the ability to manipulate and deceive people for as long as she could remember, and she fully intended to use that to her advantage. Using charm and seduction—her two secret weapons—she confidently walked in.

"Welcome, please take a seat."

Three men sat in a row behind a long cherry table. They all had files lying on the table and shuffled through them as Elena made her way to the chair.

"Hello, gentlemen." Elena leaned over and urged her hand in front of them, quickly shaking the first two men's hands. She shifted her body, so she was angled towards the last one whom she assumed was Mr Damon Salvatore from the pictures she found.

She nearly stopped breathing. He was intimidatingly stunning. She tried not to stare, but it was impossible not to when she was trying to put on a show of confidence.

He hesitated, but grabbed her hand anyway and shook it. It sent a chill down her body, and she immediately jerked back.

What was wrong with her?

Elena smiled as she slowly sat down and set her folder on top of the table.

"You are Miss Elena Gilbert, correct?" The one in the middle asked.

"Yes, sir." Elena reminded herself to keep eye contact while controlling her facial expressions.

"Excellent. Well, welcome. I'm Klaus Mikaelson, and this is my colleague, Richard Lockwood, and this here is Mr Damon Salvatore."

Elena glanced at each of them, but her eyes halted on Mr Salvatore. As she got a better look at him, she swallowed as she took in his face, mouth, and biceps. Little butterflies appeared in her stomach as his eyes made contact with hers.

Klaus and Richard looked like typical businessmen. They were the most engaged, whereas Damon looked bored and irritated that he had been called into these interviews in the first place. He shifted uneasily as their eyes made contact.

Where Klaus and Richard wore the clean-cut look—short slicked hair and clean-shaven face—Damon looked straight out of a motorcycle ad. He had dark brown almost black hair which hung just over his ears, styled in casual disarray. It actually looked good on him, but it definitely was not what Elena expected a future CEO to look like.

"It is a pleasure," she said as she made sure to keep her smile seductive. It was a talent she nailed down years ago.

"Can you tell us what you know about Salvatore Enterprises? And why you think you would benefit from the intern program here?" Richard asked right away with a pen ready to start taking notes.

Elena cleared her throat and sat up taller. "I know all the basic information that is on your website, and honestly, it is just the tip of what this company is really about." She noticed all three men were now staring intently at her. "What is not on your website is that Salvatore Enterprises is one of the largest charitable contributors in Richmond. You give the most to foundations that support Amber Alerts, Missing Children Programs, and unresolved cold cases to name just a few. You truly believe in the justice of finding missing persons, and giving justice to the families of the victims. Besides your charitable contributions, you also hold the highest record in the country for reporting the most open cases from over ten years ago. And I think I can benefit from all of that."

Klaus and Richard's jaws dropped as Damon's expression remained unchanged. Elena was unsure if he was impressed or pissed off, but she continued smiling as she made eye contact with each of them.

"That's very impressive," Klaus finally said.

"Thank you. I did an extensive background search, but I'm very fascinated with this line of work."

"What do you see yourself doing in the future?" Richard asked.

"I would like to be a journalist. Perhaps a news reporter. I want to dig into open or even seemingly impossible cold cases. I want to make a difference to someone's family, even if it's years later. I want to do the unthinkable."

This earned an eyebrow raise from Damon. Well, it was a start. She would get him to warm up to her before she walked out that door.

"Excellent choice," Richard nodded as he wrote his notes down.

"What do you think you can offer Salvatore Enterprises during your internship?"

"I hope to offer my skills, but mainly, I hope to make your lives easier. I want to be the middleman that helps get you whatever is needed to help you do your job better." Elena knew she wouldn't be working on any cases, so she wouldn't even pretend that was an option, but she could definitely use the advantage to get her foot in the door. Once she was in, she could do her own digging.

"Sounds very ambitious." Her head jerked to Damon, who finally spoke. His voice was low and stern. It took her by surprise.

Elena smirked and crossed her legs. "I guess you could say that." She liked the attention he was finally giving her. It made her feel like she was cracking him.

"What can you tell us about your college experience thus far? What major are you?" Richard asked as she tore her eyes away from Damon.

"I'm a double major in journalism and criminal justice. My plan is to find a career where I can merge both of those since they both fascinate me," she answered honestly.

"You sound very busy," Damon interrupted. "How do you plan to juggle it all?"

Elena pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth just before releasing it and answering. "I'm very skilled at juggling."

* * *

 **This is my latest Delena story. Hopefully my readers will enjoy this story as well. There will be more drama in this story but of course it is still a love story of our favourite couple:) However, will their love endure secrets, lies and betrayal? Watch the space...  
**


	2. Chapter 2

Elena walked out with confidence and felt optimistic that she had nailed the internship. She had Richard and Klaus eating out of the palm of her hand. Damon was impressed. She could tell—and feel it, but he didn't let it show to his colleagues.

While she was researching Salvatore Enterprises, she came across many pictures of Damon Salvatore. He looked good on screen, but in person, he was gorgeous. He had a light complexion with olive undertones and had a strong bone structure with high cheeks bones and a solid jaw line. He was very handsome, standing 5'10" in height with a well built, toned physique. The thing that tripped her up was his age. He was certainly successful and extremely smart for only being twenty-seven.

After doing more research, Elena had learned it was a family owned company. After the interview, she could successfully assume he was just getting started, and his family was now forcing him to be a part of the bigger decisions like interviewing and being involved in the mechanical aspects of the corporation. He certainly acted as if he belonged there, yet he acted completely bored and irritated for having to waste an afternoon.

After Grayson died, and the insurance money drained from expenses, her mother, Miranda started working full-time to keep up with both Jeremy and her tuition. And with two kids, Miranda had a lot to balance.

Miranda was worried about Elena after the incident. She had spent thousands of dollars on her daughter, taking her to various therapists. But all Elena did was sit and stare at the wall anyway. She didn't want to talk. It didn't help. It didn't bring her father back. And it sure as hell didn't take the memories away.

Elena didn't want to heal. And she was sure she didn't want to move on.

She couldn't.

Not until that bastard was caught and sentenced to death.

Elena had a lock box that she had kept in her wardrobe which contained numerous files, pictures, and 'evidence' from her father's death. Miranda wasn't aware of what she had been doing all these years. She knew her mother would like her to 'move on'. She wished she could put the memories in the lock box as well, lock them up, so she didn't have to be constantly reminded of them.

She looked through the newspaper clippings that were all headed with _Murder in Mystic Falls and Man Shot Down in Front of House._ Obviously, nobody remembered about his two innocent children standing in the front yard.

Elena rubbed her scar as she closed her eyes and remembered. It was hazy, and she wished she could remember more. She wished she could remember the man who was driving the old '79 Cadillac. It was like slow motion—his car slowed right in front of their house, he pulled out his gun and aimed for Grayson. As soon as Grayson fell to the ground, the car sped off.

And then nothing. All Elena remembered were sounds. Screaming. Crying. Sirens. That was it. Her memory was literally useless.

Perhaps it was because a bullet nicked her in the shoulder, and she blacked out, waking up a day later in the hospital.

They had cops and detectives flooding the house for days after. They checked into Grayson's background trying to link anything to a gang or a business deal gone wrong. It made no sense. Grayson Gilbert wasn't a bad guy.

The few memories Elena had left of her father were priceless. He was a great father, and she felt lost without him. She owed him this—not just for herself, but for her family, too.

After six months, the detectives called to say it was a cold case. They had no leads, no evidence, and without a full license number to track the vehicle down, they had nothing.

Jeremy had limited information. He remembered the license plate vaguely. He remembered a QL on the plates, but it wasn't enough. And although he explained what the car looked like, and they had narrowed it down, nothing in the system matched. It was probably stolen and sold for parts.

Even after asking the neighbours and finding a couple maybe witnesses, it never led to anything. Nothing did.

The only thing Elena could do now was find some information out on her father. That was her ticket. Find out whom he was associated with, his past, his job—basically anything she didn't know.

Her mother wouldn't tell her anything more about him. She said he was an insurance broker—simple nine to five job. However, Miranda hadn't worked since before Jeremy was born, so Elena found it very unlikely that they could afford to live in one of the most expensive parts of town. She was a kid, but she wasn't stupid.

x x x

"Oh, my god, that was brutal!" Caroline giggled as she slammed her body into the locker next to Elena.

Caroline Forbes had been Elena's best friend since they were in elementary school. She was the only one who knew all the gory details of that day.

"You are a drama queen," Matt spit out who was standing on the other side of Elena. Those two were always fighting for her attention and never getting along.

"Go away, Big Brother," Caroline spatted back, waving her hand back at him.

"Okay, you two...just go hump in the closet already. Your pretending to hate each other is driving me insane."

"Oh, it is not pretending, babe, Matt is such a jerk," Caroline snorted.

Elena laughed at her remark.

"Okay, well, I have class. See you guys at lunch," Elena hollered over her shoulder. She knew those two were secretly crazy for each other. She was just waiting for both of them to figure it out.

She had been checking her phone every five minutes for a missed call or voicemail. Nothing. She knew she was impatient, but she couldn't help it. She was fidgety as hell.

Her whole life was weighing on this internship, and although, it was technically not counting for anything, she just needed to get into their system long enough to find what she was looking for.

The position wasn't a typical college internship. Most students that needed internship credits didn't take any college classes during the semester because they worked at least forty hours a week. However, Salvatore Enterprises was looking for a weekend intern—someone they could train and mould into a future employee.

It was a rare occasion that they held internship interviews since most were found from within—someone's son or daughter, niece or nephew—but not this time. And this time, it would be hers.

It was spring semester for college students, meaning many were getting ready for graduation soon. This would be her one and only chance to get into this company.

She would need to learn a lot about their software system, and how to crack into the private and restricted information—for her own personal research—but Matt was a computer genius. He would teach her anything she wanted or needed to know. He didn't know the extreme measures she was about to go through, but she knew he would help her if she asked him.

Elena didn't pretend to be an expert, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to find out information and piece them together. Given the right tools and details, she knew she could find out more about her father, and at least with that, she could have closure.

To distract her from checking my phone, Elena decided to search Damon Salvatore during computer time. It might not the best distraction, but it didn't hurt to know more about her potential boss.

The second she clicked on the images her entire body heated up. Apparently, he was into modelling before he started working at Salvatore Enterprises. There were professional shoots and magazine spreads of him shirtless. With striking, intense grey-blue eyes contrasting wonderfully against darkened lashes and eyebrows, a "bad boy" smile, one of the magazine's cover interview had summed up Damon Salvatore as: "devilishly good-looking, and a true legend of his day. He exudes effortless charm and confidence. Thinks he is smarter than most and frankly, probably is. A lethal combination that seemingly has left him with respect for very few."

He wanted to be a model. He was getting his career off the ground, booking shoots and ads, when his parents told him it was time to become involved in the family enterprise.

This was interesting.

This would explain his attitude.

Devilishly good-looking. Effortless charm and confidence.

And he was going to be her boss.

Her entire body tightened and butterflies reappeared in her stomach. It was a foreign feeling—it was nothing she had ever felt before. There was no denying she was attracted to Damon's looks, but his attitude sure could use an adjustment.

Interestingly enough, he majored in English with a minor in criminal justice. So he had the background to be a reporter or journalist. And from the reports that Elena found online, he was very good, too.

* * *

 **Thank you for the support and kind reviews. I really appreciate them:) This storyline is inspired from a book but I'm going to modify it for our favourite couple. Hopefully you guys/gals will still enjoy my writing. I promise I will try my best to bring out the dynamics and chemistry of Delena.**


	3. Chapter 3

"Can someone please explain to me why the hell I'm wasting my afternoon looking at intern applications?" Damon paced his office overlooking the floor to ceiling windows. "This is why I have Klaus and Richard," he screamed into his earpiece.

"You need to learn all aspects of the job, Damon," his father replied calmly. "If you wish to take over some day, this is all part of the training process."

"I know that!" Damon spatted back. He rocked back and forth on his heels, trying to contain his temper. "I told you I would go along with this damn charade if I got to do what I wanted."

"And you will, son. But even bosses have to do the dirty work sometimes. It is all part of the business. You are a Salvatore."

Damon scowled every time his father said that. _You are a Salvatore. Yeah…...not by choice._

"Fine," Damon agreed through clenched teeth. 'This is the first and only time I do this."

"Well, do a good job and you won't have to."

Before Damon could retaliate, his father hung up. He whipped his earpiece out and threw it on his desk. "Damn interns."

Giuseppe had done a brilliant job with the family business. Salvatore Enterprises wasn't just a business, according to Giuseppe. It had required vision and sweat to bring it to life. It was the result of a lot of carefully calculated risks and farsighted strategy. It had heart. It had struggled and fought and survived in a jungle where other businesses, large and small, got eaten alive. Being the eldest son, Damon had to step up and take over the CEO role. His younger brother, Stefan on the other hand, hadn't shown much interest in Salvatore Enterprises. Damon went toe-to-toe with Giuseppe more than once over that issue. He warned his father that he would not permit his brother to be coerced into turning the company into a family dynasty. Damon wanted Stefan to feel free to choose his own paths in life, and he did. Now Stefan was in medical school in Washington.

Damon unhappily dragged his feet into the boardroom where Klaus and Richard were already seated. He took the chair next to them and opened the folder of applicants in front of him.

He heard them talking and wondered if he should say something, but before he could, the first applicant entered.

Damn.

And then another.

Damn.

And another.

Damn.

They were pathetic. Every single one of them. They could barely make eye contact with him, yet they wanted to work for him. How ridiculous.

Damon about to give up and said to hell with it before Erika, his assistant, beeped in through the phone and announced there was one more.

Great, he groaned silently.

He grabbed the last applicant's form and studied it before she entered. Elena Gilbert. 21. University of Virginia. Senior.

He looked over her letter of recommendations and saw several from professors and assistants. Fast-learner, above average student, and dependability are all her glowing raves.

Well, she better be, since she was basically his last hope.

Damon's jaw ticked the moment she walked in the room. He tried to hold in a laugh as he took in her librarian-wannabe wardrobe. He knew most girls didn't wear that. He knew for fact that girls her age wore a lot less clothing.

She smiled and took a seat as she greeted them. Her voice was filled with passion as she began talking about the company. She had done her research. She was the only one to go into depth about their charitable foundations, and he was hit with an immediate attraction to her capabilities.

Her face was genuine and soft as she talked about herself and how she would make a good asset to the company. She was an attractive young woman with an oval face, light olive complexion, almond-shaped brown eyes, and long dark brown hair.

She was the most intriguing of all the applicants. Her self-confidence was obvious, but she was also one of the smartest they had interviewed all day. The way her body shifted easily between the three of them to the way she passionately spoke about his father's business had him feeling an uncanny attraction to her.

Once the interview was over, Damon sneaked a glance at her as she walked out. Truthfully, her application and her interview were by far the best he had seen all day, but he would need to dig into her background to double check she wasn't a fraud or a secret Russian spy.

x x x

"All right, I'm out for the day," Damon announced to Erika.

"Sir, you have a message here from a Professor Tanner."

"Oh, damn," Damon groaned. It was Elena Gilbert's guidance counsellor. Damon had called to verify all the information she gave them was correct.

"Do you want me to call back and schedule a time?"

"No, thanks. I will just call back tomorrow."

He was not in the mood to do anything else intern-related. He didn't even care for interns, yet it was 'part of the business' as his father said.

 _We are a teaching company, son._

He didn't need an intern, but since it would keep Giuseppe off his back, Damon had to play nice.

 _We are a team._

 _Be a team player._

If he had to deal with an intern every Saturday for four months, she should at least be hot—something for him to look at.

Damon didn't care how the others would judge his character about noticing pretty girls. He worked in an office with seventy-five percent men. His modelling days were way over, and even if he wanted to take up modelling again, he wouldn't have the time. He was forced into working here and learning to 'take over' so his father could eventually retire.

It wasn't that he hated working here. He loved what he did, but he was not ready to give up his life yet. He would have eventually joined the family business but at his own pace. He hadn't been given the chance to live his life his way or make decisions on his terms.

The only thing that kept Damon from jumping off a bridge was that he actually did love the job aspect of reporting and writing—case files were a close second—but reporting about the solved ones were the real highlights of this job. And his life. But now, there was no intermission for girls in his life. The occasional hook-up wasn't uncommon, but the last thing he wanted at his age was to be tied down.

To anyone.

He poured two fingers of whiskey before taking a seat on the couch. He grabbed the remote and flipped through channels until something interested him. Nothing did, so he poured two more fingers of whiskey. He did this about two more times before he stumbled into hid room and passed out on his bed, fully clothed.

x x x

The week flew by, and Damon had completely forgotten about calling all the interns references. It was already Thursday, so he told Richard just to pick one.

"You can't seriously just say pick one? She will be working mainly for you."

"Fine, the hot one." Damon waved a hand in Richard's direction as he continued typing away on his computer.

"And that would be?" Richard stood eagerly in front of Damon's desk.

"I don't know...Ella, Esther, Elena something. The last one," Damon rambled.

"Ah...Elena Gilbert," Richard offered.

"Yeah, she was the best one for it anyway."

"And her body wasn't bad either," Richard responded dryly.

Damon's body ticked at the way Richard was describing her. He didn't know why but the way Richard said it fuelled his urge to punch Richard in the face.

"Don't say things like that," Damon growled as he slowly raised his head to look at Richard. The expression on Richard's face turned from supercilious to one of being baffled.

"Relax man. Did you call her counsellor or references?"

Damon wanted him out of his office so he could finish his reports, so he told Richard what he wanted to hear.

"Yeah, yeah. All good."

"Great, I will call her this afternoon and have her begin this Saturday."

"Good, fine. I will be here, I guess." Damon came in every Saturday, so he would be training her.

Richard left without another word, and Damon continued typing hard against the keyboard. There was a huge case that had just had a breakthrough. He hurriedly typed it out so he could get it online ASAP. Most of their customers were online. They tried to get their reports out first before anyone else could.

"Elena Gilbert will be here eight a.m. this Saturday," Richard informed Damon over the phone. His body tensed up at the sound of her name. "Do you want your assistant here just in case?"

"In case what?" Damon scowled. "She can't figure out how to work the coffee maker? No, I think we will manage."

The truth was Damon wanted her alone without interruptions. Her personality and confidence had him completely captivated, and he wanted to know more about her—without his assistant getting in the way.

"You have to teach her more than just how the coffee maker operates," Richard warned. "She could potentially want to apply here after graduation. By teaching students the ropes of the job, they are already pre-qualified to work here."

"Yes, I know," Damon snapped. "You don't need to repeat everything my father tells me, you know?"

"Oh, you mean you don't want to have the talk about the birds and the bees?"

Damon's jaw hardened. "I'm not a child."

"You are twenty-seven," Richard laughed. "You may as well be." And then he hung up.

Everyone thought Damon was here because of Giuseppe, and technically, he was, but he could have scored this job without his father's help. He double majored in college, earned above average grades, and did a lot of community work. He was no one's charity case. He could fend for himself. But because he was the eldest son, he had to take up this job.

Damon was browsing through emails on his phone as he rode the elevator down to the lobby. It halted on the third floor, and he backed up to let more people on. He didn't lift his head up as the elevator started again, but suddenly he was hit with the sound of laughter.

It was innocent, young, and vibrant. Damon was intrigued, so he shifted his body to get a better view of her. His eyes found the girl in the front by the doors. He watched her from the side and noticed she was on her phone. She was smiling wide and laughing with whomever she was speaking to on the phone. The doors opened, and he walked around a few people to exit, except the girl didn't move and he crashed right into the back of her, pushing them both out of the elevator before the doors closed. Instinctively, he wrapped his free arm around her waist to catch her from face planting the floor. Her back was pressed against his chest and for a moment, he didn't want to let go.

Her phone wasn't as lucky. It slipped out of her hand and landed on the lobby floor.

"Damn," she cursed and his arm freed her to bend down and grabbed it off the floor.

"I'm so sorry," Damon began apologizing as he stepped back. His eyes wondered to her bare legs and up her tone thighs to a pair of black workout shorts. She was wearing a baggy sweatshirt as if she had been running or working out. He could smell the fresh sweat on her, but it didn't turn him off. In fact, it did the exact opposite.

"That's okay." Her voice cracked as she turned around, and Damon finally got a good look at her. "Oh, Mr Salvatore," she said surprised, and he immediately cursed the bad luck that brought him to his new intern—Elena Gilbert.

"Miss Gilbert?" Damon said as she stared up at him in silence. "I thought you weren't coming until Saturday?"

"Hide your disappointment, Mr Salvatore." The corners of her mouth perked up into a cocky smile. "I was just picking up the paperwork and doing all the background check questions."

Everyone that worked or interned at Salvatore Enterprises went through an extensive background check for security reasons. All of the files were confidential, and only journalists reporting on the stories could know the exclusive information.

"Ah, yes. Of course, the paperwork."

Richard failed to mention she would be here today...

She continued eyeing him, and Damon wondered if she felt the electricity between them as much as he did.

"Well, I will see you Saturday, Mr Salvatore," she said as she was seductively smiling up at him. She quickly turned around and began walking towards the lobby doors.

Damon put his phone in his pocket and tried to shake the thoughts of Elena out of his head. This was crazy. He couldn't think of her like that. She was going to be his intern.

By Friday, Damon's mind was fully consumed with thoughts of Elena. Since the interview and bumping into her the day before, his mind had been placed extremely inappropriate for someone who would be working for him.

He realised he needed to get out of this office and cleared his head. He called Enzo, another colleague of his and they planned to meet up at ten p.m. at the Crazy Mole bar.

Damon had changed into jeans and a fitted T-shirt before heading out and meeting Enzo. The only thing on his agenda tonight was to get drunk and to get Elena Gilbert out of his mind.

"When are you going to finally settle down?" Enzo had asked him.

"You know me, I don't want a lady coming into my life and messing with a good thing," Damon had answered. Maybe one day he would think about settling down. At this stage, he wasn't interested in any long-term commitment with any women.

Hours later he woke up to the blazing sound of his alarm clock. Six-forty-five a.m. was flashing in bright red lights on his iPhone.

He slowly rolled over on his bed and smacked into someone on the other side. He quickly racked his brain for memories of last night, but there wasn't any—well, not many at least.

He remembered beer.

Girls.

Shots.

More girls.

Liquor.

Naked girls.

That about summed it up.

"Hello?" Damon shook her until one eye peeked open. "You need to leave, sweetheart. I have to go to work."

He grabbed a sheet and wrapped it loosely around his waist. He walked to his closet and pulled out his suit for the day, partially excited that he got to 'train' his new intern.

"On the weekend?" she asked lazily as she shuffled around on the bed. "Mm..." she moaned and patted the spot next to her on the bed, "come back to bed."

"I can't. I have to get in the shower. See your way out?"

Her expression told Damon she was offended, and her loud stomping on the floor clarifies that he was right.

"Do you even remember my name?" she asked angrily as she scooped up her clothes that were scattered on his hardwood floor.

Damon smirked as she inched closer to him. "Do you remember mine?"

She scowled. "You are an asshole."

"Take a number, sweetheart. You aren't the first one to think so," he called out after her. She was stomping down the hallway, and he just shrugged.

* * *

 **Thank you for the support and reviews. I hope my readers are still enjoying my Delena stories:) Sorry for the delay in updating the new chapters as work has been pretty busy and I will be going away for a conference soon. I will try my best to upload a few chapters before I leave. Don't worry, I won't give up writing Delena stories, LOL!**


	4. Chapter 4

Walking into work felt different today. Damon knew it was because he would be seeing Elena again and that she was his intern. And knowing that she was completely off limits.

He was already in his office logging in reports when a soft knock was at his door.

"Come in," Damon answered without looking up. He vaguely saw Elena out of the corner of his eye. She was not in her Grandma-wear, but she was dressed appropriately for an office job—black, sleek skirt and a light blue shirt.

"Good morning, Mr Salvatore," Elena said confidently.

He finally looked up and cursed himself immediately for doing so. Getting a better view of her, he noticed her clothes were clung tight to her, showing off every curve and her taut nipples. She was smiling and resting her hands in front of her.

He cleared his throat. "Good morning, Miss Gilbert. Welcome."

"Thank you." She smiled at him, and he swallowed. "Oh, I forgot to say thank you for this opportunity. I'm absolutely grateful."

"Sure, well, you deserve it," Damon replied kindly.

"Oh, and please call me Elena."

"Sounds good. Elena it is." Damon rolled her name with his tongue, and it felt so good...as if he could say her name over and over again.

"What would you like me to do? Do you have some kind of list or agenda that you would like me to follow? A schedule perhaps?"

That was supposed to be on his to-do list last night. Damn and he had forgotten about it.

"Well, first. Do you know how to operate a coffee maker?" he grinned.

Elena gave him a confused expression, and he was afraid he might have scared her off already.

Damon smiled and grabbed his wallet out of his back pocket. "Never mind. There's a Starbucks one block west from here. I will take a dark coffee, two sugars. And whatever you would like." He handed her his company credit card and her hand briefly grazed his before taking it.

"Absolutely, sir. I will be right back." She turned on her heel and was out the door in ten seconds flat.

While Elena was gone, Damon tried to think of things she could do when she returned, so he didn't feel like a babysitter, but it was so hard to concentrate when all he could think of were her legs.

He waited impatiently until Elena walked back in. She gently placed his coffee on his desk and smiled up at him.

Now what should he do with her?

"Dark coffee, two sugars, sir."

"Thank you," he breathed out. He gave his attention back to his computer, hoping she would take the hint and leave.

"Sir?" Her voice cracked. "Where would you like me?"

Damon's jaw twitched at the innuendo she had just put in his head. He tried not to stare at her, but the way her soft, pink lips were perking up at him made it hard to tear his eyes away.

"I have made a list—you can start with that," he responded coldly. She didn't deserve it, but he needed to remind himself of the situation they were in currently.

Boss.

Intern.

Off limits.

Elena inched closer to grab the list from his hand, slowly brushing her fingers over his knuckles. She kept eye contact with him the entire time, completely pissing him off. This girl wasn't a scared little intern, and she wasn't intimidated by his authority.

"You can go now," Damon tossed out.

This girl was either messing with him, or completely oblivious to the way she could attract men. Either way, he couldn't have that in his office. This was strictly business.

That was what he was trying to tell himself.

"You can use the office across from mine for now. Mr Lockwood doesn't come in on Saturdays," he added before she turned on her heel and walked out. She needed to be far away from him right now.

Damon grabbed his coffee and brought it to his mouth. The smell on the lid grabbed his attention before he took a sip. He brought it up to his nose and smelled her scent—a mixture of fruity lip-gloss and expensive shampoo—as if she took a sip of his coffee first.

He instantly adjusted his pants at the thought of her lips on his coffee lid. It was an innocent gesture, but smelling the scent and imagining where he had wanted those perfect, warm lips was anything, but innocent.

 _Get a grip, Damon._

He buried his head in case files all morning. Salvatore Enterprises was a full-round corporation, meaning they did many things under the same scope. They investigated criminal cases and reported their findings. They also reported on major murder cases in the US. Salvatore Enterprises worked day and night on the major murder cases, keeping up with new information and building reports from those investigations.

Often, the police reports were included in the cases they received, but sometimes they went missing or weren't filled out accurately. It then became their job to try to fill in the missing gaps to write a full, thorough story.

Damon became interested in criminology after a huge murder flooded the headlines when he was seventeen. Giuseppe worked night and day on that case, making sure to keep up with the news and report anything new that came in. To be the first to report it and to update it added to the Salvatore Enterprises' name. They prided themselves on being accurate and efficient—all while being number one.

Unfortunately, all they could report was case updates and news from the investigation—the case was never solved. It was one of the biggest unsolved cases in the State of Virginia.

He shuffled through files sitting on his desk and didn't notice that his office door was opening. Elena walked in with ease, smiling as she walked up to his desk.

"Yes?" he snarled, not making eye contact with her.

"I'm all done," Elena replied simply. "What else can I do for you? Is there anything maybe..." she paused, biting down on her lower lip, "more challenging that I can do?" Her voice was higher as she anticipated his response.

Damon looked down at his desk pretending to stack papers and smirked at how her innocent questions suddenly sounded dirty in his head.

"Well...what can you do, Miss Gilbert?" he cleared his throat. "I mean Elena. I know you have high achievements, so you tell me. What do you want to learn?" He looked up at her this time and watched her squirmed at his words.

She grinned and stepped closer. "What can you teach me?"

He swallowed hard. Damn. This girl was a twenty-one year old naive college student, and he was her boss. He had to behave himself.

She raised her eyebrows. "Are you okay?"

"For someone so well-educated, you are sure a curious little thing," Damon responded nervously.

She giggled.

"Sorry, sir. It is just...you look very uncomfortable. Like you are trying to scratch your skin off or something."

"Excuse me?" His eyes met hers.

"Oh, sorry." She covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm so sorry. That was really inappropriate."

But he could tell she was still smiling.

He pulled his chair back and stood up, towering over her. "I think it is best you go home for the day."

Elena checked her watch quick before speaking. "It is not even noon, sir. Please, I'm so sorry. It will never happen again. I really want to be here. Just tell me what to do. Anything. I will do it."

Damon sat back down and thought about her request. She looked at him pleadingly and he gave in. "Fine." He breathed out. "I will show you the software we use. You will need to know how to operate it."

She clasped her hands tightly together and thanked him over and over. He nodded, hardly acknowledging, and then he told her to bring a chair over to his side.

Damon moved his chair over to give her enough room, but with the way his computer was angled, she had to lean over him to get a good view.

"All right, so..." He cleared his throat as he tried to concentrate on the screen and not the fact that he could feel her warm breath on his neck, "it is pretty easy once you get the hang of it."

"Don't worry, Mr Salvatore." She interrupted. "I'm a fast learner."

Damon immediately realized how bad of an idea this was. Her body was close to hers as she leaned over her chair. Her breasts were rubbing against the back of his arm, and he could tell her skin was silky smooth just from the contact.

He swallowed again and moved forward to avoid her body against hers. "Here is where each case is located. They are categorized by date, location, file number, and last name. You can do easy searches by this icon up here, as well as typing in the first couple letters of the name. It is very user friendly."

Just when Damon thought everything was under control, Elena leaned off her chair and put a hand on his shoulder as she reached a finger to the screen. His body immediately tensed at the touch of her hand. Even if it was an innocent gesture, she knew what she was doing.

"What is this icon down here?" she asked, oblivious to the mini heart attacks she was currently giving him.

"Um..." Damon cleared his throat as he adjusted himself on the chair. He couldn't have her this close to him. "It is for transcripts. You can read them right on the screen instead of digging the files out. Most have been electronically scanned in."

"Wow, how awesome. I mean, for the journalists."

"Yeah, it is definitely a time saver." She finally sat back down, so he turned and faced her. "I could have you do something like that, but it is not very challenging. You seem too smart for something like that." he grinned.

Expecting Elena to agree with him, Damon was surprised by her reaction. "That's perfect!" She sat up straighter. She was giddy at the fact that she would be scanning in documents all day? This girl was a basket of crazy. "I would love to do it."

He scratched the back of his neck trying to think of something that might keep her in his office instead. Too bad the only thing he had in mind was her kneeling in front of him.

He stood up and told her to follow him out. There were only a handful of other journalists who would come in on Saturdays, so the office was relatively quiet.

He led her to another room where the transcripts were kept. He showed her how they were categorized and documented. Then he showed her to another room where the scanner and computer were for organizing the transcripts in the system.

Elena nodded her head the entire time, not even bothering to ask Damon any questions. She smiled confidently as she spoke. "No problem, Mr Salvatore. These are all safe with me."

Damon gave her a weak smile. "Great. Just let me know when you need a break, and you can leave for the day."

"No problem. This looks like Heaven to me, so I will probably get lost in here for a few hours."

He gave her a confused look. "You really aren't like typical college girls, are you? You are actually excited about this?"

Her smile turned seductive as she eyed him carefully. "No, I'm not like other college girls. In fact, I'm very, very different. I'm driven by success, and I don't allow failure into my vocabulary. If this is what will get me experience, and into a career that I want, I will do it. Anything you ask me to do, Mr Salvatore. I will."

She spoke as if she was promising him those very things. She was determined, and Damon liked that.

Elena inched closer to him so he could feel her breath on his skin. It was rapid and quick like his—she was thinking the same thing he was.

"Well...enjoy," was all Damon said as he slowly backed up and walked out the door. Elena kept her eyes on him the entire time until he was out of view.

That girl...her personality and confidence completely captivated Damon. She was different from any intern he had ever met. Or girl. Most acted vulnerable to gain his attention. However, Elena Gilbert was anything but that. Not to mention how stunning she was.

And she was one Damon hadn't gotten out of his head since the moment she stepped into that boardroom.

* * *

 **Thank you for your support and kind reviews. It seems like some of my readers don't like Damon in this story...I actually enjoy writing Damon in this story:) He is sarcastic and cocky, just like the Damon in TVD, LOL! Why is Damon behaving like this? What is going to happen to our favourite couple? Keep watching the space;)  
**


	5. Chapter 5

Elena finally felt as if she was doing something for her father's injustice. It might not be much, but getting into those transcripts was a step closer. Even being around the software and learning about the files gave her an advantage to dig around and find the information she needed.

She knew she could do this job. Minus the professional experience, she had the passion. She had the drive and desire more than anyone else she knew.

She had nearly screamed when she got the call that she had been picked for the internship. She had begged to come in to finish the paperwork that day, so she could start right away. She didn't even care that she wasn't dressed up or anything, she wanted to start right away.

Bumping into Damon Salvatore—literally—was an unexpected surprise. The way her heart raced at the sudden contact of their bodies being slammed together was something that had her shaking the entire drive back home. Elena knew the way her body responded to him was unusual, but she wasn't going to let that stopped her from doing what she had to do.

Nothing could stop her.

Nobody could stop her.

Although Damon Salvatore was a distraction, she was still determined to carry on.

Elena couldn't even concentrate properly when he was around her. Damon was flooding her mind, and it was all she had been able to think about since Saturday. And she got to see him again in two days.

When she was there, she felt like a different person. She was playing a role. Acting. And she was damn good at it.

But operation charm and seduce was in full blown mode. She was doing what she had to do to get the information necessary. She needed to know as much as possible about her father's case. Otherwise, she knew she would never be able to move on.

Elena knew she was not faking her attraction to Damon. He was definitely a guy she would break her rules for, even if just for one night. But from the way he was responding to her, she could tell he would take that one night and demand more.

He had no idea what he was getting himself into. Just like she had no idea what she was getting herself into.

x x x

Elena woke up feeling anxious and excited Saturday morning. She had two things to look forward to—seeing Damon again and to get one step closer to finding her father's murderer.

She arrived promptly at seven-forty-five a.m. with Damon's coffee and for good measure, a plain bagel. She didn't know what did he like but she thought a plain bagel would suit him.

"Good morning, Mr Salvatore," Elena said politely as she placed his beverage and food on his desk.

"Good morning, Elena. You are bright and cheerful today," Damon said with amusement. He grabbed the hot cup of coffee and brought it to his mouth.

She got lost in his lips for a split-second before she reminded herself she had to speak.

"Of course, sir. It is a pleasure to be here. What is not to be cheerful about?"

Damon studied her carefully, letting his eyes wandered up and down her body, paying close attention to the tight fabric she was wearing today.

"I guess that is an honest trait."

"I sure hope so," Elena replied quickly. He didn't need to know how easy it was for her to lie, especially when it was something that she desperately wanted. "Where would you like me today?"

He tightened his jaw slightly, and Elena noticed how uncomfortable he was when she said things like that.

"Where I would like you and where you should be are too very different questions, but ironically, they hold the same answers."

She shifted from one foot to the other as his come-on had become stronger, more tangible in what he was after.

Part of her knew it was wrong. But she couldn't help herself to play along in this little game - whatever it would take to stay in this building for as long as possible. And she did find him intriguing. There was no doubt Damon was handsome and sexy like hell.

"That sounds like motive." Elena smirked back. "Which one would you like to answer?"

She was throwing him a bone, because it was obvious Damon was struggling just as much as she was. Part Angel said it was morally and ethically wrong and Part Devil said to go for it.

And Elena agreed with Part Devil.

Being here...with Damon…made her feel so different. He made her feel alive.

There was a brief silence before Damon spoke again.

"Miss Gilbert. Go do your job. Please."

His voice sounded pained, as if he was pleading with himself. He was fighting between what his body wanted and what he knew was wrong. And, although Elena was having the exact same battle.

x x x

Elena walked past a couple of open offices. She glanced inside as she slowly treaded by, getting a good look at the other journalists working there. She needed to make sure she kept a healthy distance, but still be aware in case she ever had to sneak around for something later.

She began digging through the transcripts, skimming over them as she scanned them in for anything that could possibly resemble her father's case. Perhaps the shooter had done this before and gotten away with it, or perhaps he had been caught for a crime long after. She would never know, but she was willing to try to find out.

At 12.30pm Elena glanced up from her scanning and saw Damon standing casually in the doorway, his arms and legs were crossed as he studied her.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah. Sure," she stumbled. How long had Damon been watching her?

"I have ordered pizza," he paused before continuing, "we can have it in my office."

"Sounds great." She cleared her throat, feeling uneasy. "Thanks." She nervously shuffled some documents around, pretending to organize them.

"Good." His face was expressionless as he turned and walked into his office.

Twenty minutes later, they had pizza and Coke in Damon's office.

"So what made you interested in journalism and criminology?" Damon asked suddenly. He was staring intently at Elena as if he could see right through her, as if all her secrets were transparent.

"I have always been fascinated with them both, but for different reasons." Elena slurped her Coke. "Writing is something that comes natural to me, something that has been very therapeutic in the journey my childhood has played out. And criminology, well, what's not to love?"

"So what are your plans for after graduation?" He eyed her curiously. Elena tensed up at his question, knowing she needed to be convincing in her lies.

"I hope to get a full-time job in something that merges both of my majors and interests together," she replied vaguely hoping Damon would stop grilling her.

"Hm...and what is that exactly?"

"Why don't you tell me how you got here, Mr Salvatore? I know you are only twenty-seven but you did some modelling when you were in college. Is this what you planned for after graduation?"

"You are sure a little investigator," Damon mused, licking his own lips. "My guess is you already know the answers to that."

She laughed aloud at his cockiness. "No, the only thing that comes up when I researched you was chicks in bikinis on your arm and information on Senior Mr Salvatore. Anything personal about you was zipped tight."

That came out much harsher than she had meant for it to, but Damon didn't seem to mind. In fact, he laughed.

"If that's all you found, then I guess I have nothing to worry about."

Now Elena was curious what secrets Damon was possibly hiding. It was not easy for someone in the spotlight to keep personal demons unknown, but apparently, he had managed to somehow.

"So what is your story? You have a Google page I can snoop through?" Damon asked with a grin as he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. "Any stalker ex-boyfriends I need to be aware of?"

Elena raised her eyebrows at him. "I'm pretty certain that breaks about a hundred employment codes asking about my relationship status."

He smirked. "This is hardly a job—I mean you come in on Saturdays." He laughed before adding, "for free."

"So?" She quickly defended. "Not all of us have a trust fund for financial security for the rest of our lives. Some of us have to work the hard way, and in most cases, work for free to learn and work our way up."

Damon leaned forward in his chair in complete seriousness. "Wait...wait a minute! You mean to tell me that you don't have a trust fund? I was sure all kids do."

Elena scowled "Since this isn't a 'real' job, I don't feel threatened to say that you are a real asshole."

"Wait," he growled. "Elena, I said wait."

He caught her forearm and spun her around. She gasped at the closeness and glanced down at his hand. His fingers were biting into her flesh. She lifted her eyes back to his. She didn't want him to know how he affected her, but part of her knew it was too late – he knew.

"I was only kidding," Damon said genuinely, and Elena felt bad for getting upset. "I don't know your past, so it was really arrogant of me to shove my wealth in your face."

Elena jerked her arm out of his grasp and locked eyes with him. "I don't care how much money you have or lack of money I have, it doesn't make you any better than me or anyone else. And I stand by my first observation—you are an asshole."

Instead of getting angry like she had hoped, he smiled a crooked, sardonic smile. "You are not the first woman who tells me that."

"Oh, so you like being an asshole?" she taunted.

His smile vanished. "I'm never nice. Especially with a woman. I was trying to be nice instead of an asshole because you are someone I work with."

His mouth claimed hers in a kiss that was both rough and tender before she could react, his arms drawing her tightly against him. And then he gentled the kiss, brushing his parted lips on hers in a light, exquisite touch that was even harder to resist than the other one. And suddenly Elena was welcoming the invasion of his kiss, helplessly kissing him back with all the excitement and confusion rioting inside her. As soon as she did, his arm tightened, his mouth starting to move with fierce, devouring hunger over hers, and Elena felt his own desire beginning to pour through her veins.

In sheer panic she tore free of his mouth and then his grasp. She had to stay focus. On task. She was here for one reason and one reason only. She stepped backwards, her chest heaving, fists clenched at her sides.

"How could you even work with me when you kiss me like that?" he demanded in a low, accusing voice.

Elena managed a look of angry scorn. "You are the one who go around groping the interns or people you work with."

There was a brief silence before he gave her a slow, lazy smile. "I supposed we'd better get to work." He turned his back on her and walked back to his desk.

Elena was still thinking about Damon's kiss hours later. Damon Salvatore was the most intriguing man. He gave no apologies for his domineering behaviour, he took what he wanted, and she willingly gave it. She had dated in high schools and college, but never felt this way and to this extent. Her blood was running hot every time she came near him.

It was almost five p.m. and it was time for her to go. Before she left, she knocked on Damon's office door to let him know it was time for her to go.

Damon was sitting in his chair casually as if he had been waiting for her.

"I'm...um...heading home now. I scanned in transcripts and decoded some of the files. Perhaps you can teach me something new next week?"

Elena had really meant it as a teaching question, but soon realized he would take it as something else.

"For the job, I mean," she clarified and Damon laughed.

"Absolutely. I will teach you whatever you want to know."

"Great." She smiled weakly. "Well, I will see you—"

"Wait," he interrupted. "I set up an email account for you. In case, I need to get hold of you before next Saturday."

He held out a business card where he had written down the information. Elena walked towards him and grabbed it. She studied it carefully and asked, "Why would you need to get hold of me? I mean, it is not like I do any real work around here."

"That may be true, but you are scanning in files that haven't been evaluated in years. I might need some of your new, profound knowledge."

 _Lame excuse,_ Elena thought. However, she took it willingly and thanked him.

"I will see you soon, Elena." His voice was filled with amusement, but for some reason, she didn't think he was joking.

In fact, she thought he was dead serious, and that really scared her.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for the support and kind reviews. I really appreciate them:)  
**

 **Damon is an asshole in this story unfortunately, LOL! But trust me, there are a lot more in his character. And I really enjoy writing Damon in this story - Elena is also different from what I have written as well:)**

 **Watch the space...**


	6. Chapter 6

Damon woke up on Sunday morning with the taste of Elena still on his lips. He didn't want to go another week without talking to her, so he started thinking of things he could email her.

His mind was pre-occupied the entire time he was having brunch with his parents. It was a tradition the Salvatore family did every Sunday, and although it made him feel like a child that he was 'told' to go, he liked that they made time for each other since the rest of the week was busy with work.

"So, Damon, did you hear about the Whitmore's?" Lillian Salvatore asked, breaking Damon out of his trance.

"The Whitmore's?" Damon racked his brain quick. "Oh, you mean how Mrs Whitmore smuggled millions of dollars out of the country? Of course, I heard about that." He just shrugged at the story that was headlined most of the local news.

The Whitmores were like royalty in Richmond. Mr Whitmore was the state senator who married a woman half his age.

"Well, anyway, sounds like they are going to brush it under the rug and keep it tight-lipped." Damon heard the annoyance in his mother's tone.

"I don't doubt that. I have written a few news pieces on it, but if they would ever get the damn police files, I could write an actual report on it. People like her shouldn't get away with shit like that."

"Enough about work, son," Giuseppe interrupted. "What's going on with your new intern? I haven't heard a thing, and it has been what...two weeks?"

Damon shifted uncomfortably in his chair at the mention of Elena. His mind had been wondering about her since yesterday, and she was the last thing he wanted to talk about with his parents.

"Ah, it is working out great, I guess." He tried to sound casual, so they didn't suspect anything. "I have been showing her how to use the software, scanning in documents, reading transcripts, and teaching her the basics. It has only been a couple weeks, so as time goes on, I will teach her more."

"Excellent." Giuseppe smiled at Damon. "I knew you would figure out how to train someone underneath you."

Damon grinned to himself as he imagined her underneath him.

After the brunch with his parents, Damon headed back home and paced the living room until he finally built up the nerve to email Elena.

To: egilbert

From: dsalvatore

Subject: Company Policy

 _Elena,_

 _I apologize for interrupting your Sunday. I forgot to give you the necessary paperwork while you were here. It is company policy that I give you these._

 _Attached below is the company handbook. Please look it over._

 _Mr Salvatore_

Damon didn't know why he was so eager for her to respond, but it would make him think she was thinking of him as much as he was thinking of her. After their kiss, his entire body had been tense, and all he wanted was to feel her lips against his again.

His phone beeped signalling he had a new email.

To: dsalvatore

From: egilbert

Subject: Re: Company Policy?

 _Mr Salvatore,_

 _Do you ever take a day off?_

 _I have been there two Saturday's now._

 _Ironic how you forgot._

 _I will familiarize myself with the company handbook right away._

 _Elena_

Damon smirked as he read her email at least three times. She was not intimidated by him, yet she had to submit to his demands in order to keep her internship.

And that was driving him insane.

He had wanted any excuse to keep talking to her, but he knew he had to keep his distance before he became too obvious.

 _Oh, to hell with it,_ he said to himself.

To: egilbert

From: dsalvatore

Subject: Re: Company Policy?

 _Yes, I'm aware. I was a bit distracted._

 _Mr Salvatore_

It was a risky move, but Damon hoped Elena got what he was saying. And now he needed to do something to get her off his mind. Anything.

He grabbed his gym bag and decided to go for a work out. Lifting and burning his sexual frustrations off would give him a clear head. Yes, that would work.

And then his phone beeped again.

To: dsalvatore

From: egilbert

Subject: Re: Re: Company Policy?

 _I noticed._

 _Enjoy your day, Mr Salvatore._

 _Elena_

Damon smiled as he heard her seductive voice although her email read so professionally. He didn't know why he had read her email over and over as if there was some secret code he was searching for, but he did.

He worked out harder than he had in weeks. He ran himself until his legs felt like jelly. He lifted until he could no longer lift. He completely sweated through his shirt before leaving. And his mind was still running of thoughts of Elena…except, now it was worse. The sound of her voice, the way her shapely legs walk in that skirt, the way her fingers carelessly brush against his—it was all too consuming, and Damon had no idea why.

x x x

By Wednesday, Damon's mind hadn't cleared at all. If anything, it was even more clogged than before, and he came to the conclusion that he needed to see her and know more about her. He didn't care what it took.

His condo was twenty minutes from work, and by the time he arrived at his office, he had already called in a favour—his secret weapon to seeing Elena.

To: egilbert

From: dsalvatore

Subject: Invitation

 _Elena,_

 _There is a criminology presentation with special guest speakers taking place at the Town Hall tomorrow evening that I think will benefit you greatly in your major and the internship._

 _I have a ticket for you._

 _It starts at 7PM._

 _Damon_

He had decided to sign as Damon—hoping Elena would notice the transition from boss to date.

He grinned as he hit the send button. He didn't want it to be obvious that this was his way of seeing her again, but if he requested her presence for learning purposes, there was a better chance of her coming. He could tell how much passion and interest Elena had in criminology, so it was his best bet of seeing her outside of work.

Damon waited impatiently until he heard the sound of a new message.

To: dsalvatore

From: egilbert

Subject: Re: Invitation

 _Damon,_

 _Thank you so much for thinking of me. Sounds like something I would greatly benefit from. Please have the ticket waiting for me at check in._

 _Elena_

* * *

 **This is getting interesting, isn't it? A date with Damon Salvatore...What will happen to our favourite couple?  
**

 **Sorry for the delay in updating the chapters as work has been busy and I want sort out everything at work before going away.**

 **Once again, thank you so much for the support and kind reviews:) Make sure you guys/gals check out some amazing writers in this Delena fanfiction website. My dear friend scarlett2112 has a new story Eyes Without a Face and it looks intriguing:) Vamphony also has a new story Apologize. And there are many mores like Salvatoreboys4ever, Rachel3003, VitsAsh, TheLittle Miss Vixen etc.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

Elena immediately got online to look up tomorrow's presentation. Her eyes bulged out of her head as she saw it was for elite members only. Damon must have pulled some strings to get her that ticket.

She rubbed her shoulder anxiously as she waited for the response of his email. She couldn't understand why he was going through so much trouble for her, unless he truly believed in her enough to give her this chance and opportunity to learn more from him, which in that case, made him about a hundred times hotter than he was already. She had never met someone like him—someone so intimidating, yet weak. Perhaps he was just weak when he was around her, but if that was the case, that was exactly the angle she needed to get into the files of her father's case.

Elena sat nervously in her last class waiting for her phone to vibrate with a new message. And then finally, it did.

To: egilbert

From: dsalvatore

Subject: Re: Re: Invitation

 _You will be accompanying me, Elena._

 _Meet me at Sebastian's Steakhouse at 5PM._

 _Damon_

Elena froze.

Now they were going to dinner first? This guy was horrible at asking for things. Instead, he took them...no...he demanded them.

She clenched her thighs together at just the thought of being alone with him in a restaurant. Sebastian's was a fancier restaurant—much more romantic than a boss-intern dinner should be.

Her mind flooded with nerves as she anticipated seeing Damon again—outside of work this time. Damon wasn't a normal man. He was someone who could make or break her. A man who could give her everything and more. A man she could see herself falling hard for.

x x x

Elena couldn't stop the smiling, as she dressed up for her 'work' event. She found a classy but simple black dress in her closet. The neckline was modest. The very short sleeves showed off her arms. A narrow belt defined her small waist. She wore cute little wedge sandals and a tiny cross-body purse that looked barely large enough to hold a cell phone, her car key and a credit card. Her jewellery consisted of a pair of dainty gold earrings and a small bracelet composed of gold links. She carried a white shawl over her arm. There was nothing flashy or showy about the outfit, but somehow it all went together to give her an aura of cool, feminine confidence. She didn't want to be over-dressed or look like she was trying too hard, but she wanted to look good for Damon.

Elena was sweating as she drove anxiously. She arrived at the steakhouse promptly at four-fifty p.m. Being around him at work was different. It was business. But now, this felt much more intimate. She and Damon were going to be in a date-type setting and the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't quit. She was obviously attracted to him, but the part of her that wanted to let go and let him in was fighting against bricks to keep him away. Deep down, Elena knew it was a bad idea, but her body didn't agree. Her body craved every inch of him.

She told the host who she was and that she was waiting for Mr Salvatore. He gave her a head nod as he grabbed a menu and said, "This way, Miss Gilbert."

She nervously followed behind him taking in the setting. The lights were dim, and every table was full of couples sitting in a very close, intimate way with candles lit in the middle.

It felt as if she had lost her voice as she thanked the host for escorting her to her table where Damon was patiently waiting for her. His face was intense, barely showing any emotion.

Elena swallowed nervously as she eyed him. The host went to slide her chair out, but Damon stopped him.

"I will do that." Damon stood up quickly, and the host backed away. He didn't say a word to her as he grabbed her chair and motioned for her to sit down.

The host placed the menu in front of her, and she quietly thanked him again.

In the office—work setting—Elena felt confident and invincible. But not here. She felt intimidated, weak, and hopeless.

"You look beautiful," Damon finally said sitting casually across from her.

"Thanks." Elena gulped as she took in Damon's intense stare. He was eyeing her, not giving any part of what he was thinking away. "This place is really nice." She tried to make conversation in order to ease her nerves, but the still way he was sitting and staring at her was putting her on edge.

"Have you never been here before?" Damon asked with amusement.

This was a five-star, top-notch restaurant that took weeks to get reservations for—certainly, something not a typical college-aged student had ever been to.

Rather, Elena shrugged off his amusement and tried to relax. "Oh, sure. I come here whenever I feel the need to drop a few hundred."

That earned a small grin and finally, her body eased into the chair.

"Only a few hundred?" Damon mused. "Clearly, you aren't ordering the right wine then."

She laughed. "I guess so."

"Are you excited for tonight's presentation?"

"Yes, absolutely! You must have had to pull some mad strings to get those tickets," she gushed.

"I have a friend," Damon responded casually and shrugged as if it was no big deal.

Elena grinned. "A friend who apparently can pull some strings."

Damon smirked. "Something like that."

She felt like an idiot as it finally registered in her mind. He was Damon Salvatore. He probably could get whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it.

"Oh," Elena said and she shifted her gaze to the waiter who was pouring a glass of water for her. The power he held and controlled…A sudden chill radiated her body as she thought about what she was doing—what game she was playing.

They gave him their dinner order, and when the waiter had departed with their order, Damon looked about him at the beautiful restaurant. "Do you like this place?"

"Yeah, of course. Do you come here often?"

"Yes. Everything is good here." He grinned and then it hit her.

"Let me guess. You own this place. Or your family does? Or a friend of the family?"

He laughed lightly and shook his head no. "I just like the food here."

"So, um, do you go to these presentations often?" Elena took a sip of the water in her glass. She had to stay calm. She couldn't let herself be anxious in front of him.

Damon waved his head back and forth before answering. "No, not really. I did in college, but not since I have started at the company."

"Well, what should I expect?"

"You should expect to see a lot of old men."

Elena laughed. "Is that so?"

"Nah, just kidding. There might be some college-aged and some professors."

"Well, I'm intrigued. I will take any opportunity to learn more."

"I can teach you anything, Elena." His voice was low and deep as if he was completely serious. "Anything you want to know about journalism and criminology—consider me your endless source of information," he continued genuinely. "As long as you are keen to learn."

"From the sounds of thing, you are a formidable person in this field. Did other companies ever try to lure you over to work for them?"

The corners of his lips curled up in a smile.

"What? Did I say something funny?"

"There is just something about you, Elena. You are bold and fearless, yet there is such an adolescent side to you that makes you adorable." Damon was playing with his glass as if he was nervous about being honest with her.

"Adolescent side? Are you calling me a baby?" Elena teased.

"Well, if baby is what you like to be called." He placed his foot on the ground and sat up leaning closer into the table and bringing his face closer to hers. "Otherwise, there are plenty of other names I can call you."

Elena swallowed and said with a nervous, choked laugh. "Is that normal for a boss to call an intern?"

"No."

"Breaking your own rules?" She leaned in towards him challenging him to his own game.

His eyes gave her a questioning look. "What rules?"

"The company handbook," Elena reminded him. "Any relationships formed within the office are strictly forbidden," she quoted right from the handbook that he emailed her.

"You read the company handbook, did you?" he asked surprised.

"Well, it is company policy," she quipped.

Damon narrowed his eyes. "So, you aren't a rule breaker?"

She knew he was testing her, but she knew what Damon really wanted to know – was she willing to break the rules for him.

"You have seen my portfolio. Does it say I am?" Elena asked with seduction laced in her voice.

"It says you are a fast learner and that you are willing to learn new things."

"That I am." she winked, and she could tell she had just given him the green light.

x x x

God, Damon wanted her! Elena was the most intriguing woman he had ever met. She acted so confident and cocky on the outside, but on the inside, she was a timid girl not wanting to show her true self to anyone. She was hiding something.

Once their meal arrived, Elena had relaxed a bit. Her open, edgy, carefree attitude returned as they eased into simple conversation. She knew all about him, but she was curious about how good he really was, and she knew she could judge that simply by listening to Damon talk. She began questioning him about his work, and he asked her about her family and classes.

"What happened to your dad?" Damon asked as he cut into his steak.

She fidgeted a little before responding. "He, um, left when I was eleven years old. I haven't seen him since." Her eyes were glued to her plate, and Damon knew he had hit a sore topic.

"I'm sorry." Instinctively he reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "You don't have to talk about it."

She finally looked up and smiled weakly. "There's not much to say." She shrugged.

He continued holding her hand and rubbed his thumb over hers in comfort. It seemed to help, and she relaxed again.

He took care of the check and escorted her out of the restaurant. She began fidgeting in her purse and asked, "Should I just follow you?"

Damon grabbed her hand to stop her from searching for her keys. "No, I'm driving."

"All right," she said as Damon led her to his car. "You drive? I'd figure you would have a 24/7 chauffeur."

Damon laughed shortly. "I prefer to drive myself."

The drive was comfortable and quiet as they listened to music. He watched her out of the corner of his eye and saw her sinking into the seat as she patiently waited for them to get to their destination.

Walking in with a beautiful woman like Elena Gilbert didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the men sitting nearby. They were like vultures ready to jump on their prey and rip her apart for themselves.

Damon rested one ankle on his knee as he wrapped his arm around her, claiming her. He dipped his face into her neck and whispered, "You better stay close before you are eaten alive by the rest of the audience."

Before he pulled back, she turned her head and responded, "Maybe I like being eaten alive." She grinned.

His head fell back as he groaned. "You are killing me," he growled close to her ear. "I'm not going to be able to concentrate on anything tonight apart from you."

She laughed. "That sucks."

For the next hour, Damon watched as Elena was completely captivated by the speaker and their presentations. It was everything he had already known and had learned from working the past couple years. The speaker spoke about past case studies, cold cases, and some of the big headliners that roamed the state of Virginia.

"One of the biggest unsolved murder mysteries in Virginia is from Mystic Falls ten years ago. An All-American father and husband was gunned down outside his home on a summer day in broad daylight, yet the evidence never matched up to find the shooter."

Damon heard Elena's breath caught as she inhaled sharply. Her hand covered her mouth and her eyes were glued to the speaker on stage.

"You okay?" He leaned in and asked curiously, oblivious as to why she had this kind of reaction.

She immediately dropped her hand and nodded her head. "Yeah, fine. I just...I think I heard about this one before."

"Yeah, it was pretty big news in this state for a long time. My dad worked night and day on that case."

Elena turned and faced him, and her expression was unreadable. "Really?" She swallowed.

"Yeah, almost killed him to write that final report."

"What was that?" she quickly asked.

"That the cops were calling it a cold case. No suspects. No witnesses. Little to no evidence."

Her face paled, and Damon couldn't help but wonder why she was reacting this way to a ten-year-old case that hadn't been mentioned since after it happened.

"Are you all right? You look flushed."

"Um, yeah. Just tired. Would it be okay to leave early?"

Damon leaned in happily and answered, "I was ready to leave fifty-five minutes ago."

Elena lets out a small laugh. "It has only been an hour."

He smiled back. "Exactly."

He grabbed her hand and led her out the back without disturbing anyone. What he wanted and what he should do were two different things, because right now, he wanted to take her to his bed. But what he should do was dropped her off at her car and kissed her goodnight.

"Thank you," Elena began as they sat in the car outside of the restaurant where her car was parked.

Damon could tell that she was still upset about something as she fiddled with her fingers in her lap. She nervously continued, "I appreciate you letting me tag along for the presentation."

He leaned over and grabbed her face, tilting her chin up so she would finally look at him. He closed the gap between them and kissed her softly on the lips. He felt her body relaxed against his as he wrapped an arm around her waist. He had wanted so badly to roam his fingers across her skin and through her hair, but he didn't. He could tell her mood had changed since they left, and the last thing he wanted to do was to push her.

"You didn't tag along," Damon said as he leaned his forehead against hers. He moved his head back so he could look directly in her eyes. "And it was my pleasure, Elena."

He sat back in his seat and let himself out of the car. He closed his eyes briefly as he fought with himself before opening her door. He wanted to slam her body against his and beg her to stay the night with him, but something in him stopped the words from coming out.

Damon grabbed her hand and escorted her out, shutting the door behind her. Elena leaned against the car in a way that told him she was battling with it, as well. He stood, so she was in between his legs and wrapped both arms around her waist. He pulled her in closer, so their lips were just barely touching. Her body was still but relaxed as she placed her hands on each of his arms.

"Do you work out, like 24/7? How do you maintain such an incredible body when you eat like that?" Her light tone showed him that she was back to herself, and Damon laughed at her sudden change of topic.

"Incredible, huh?"

She shrugged. What was the point in denying it? His body was incredible. "Well, it is." Incredible. Rock-hard and sexy as hell. The hottest body on the planet.

Damon shook his head as he tried to hold in the laugh that was threatening to escape. "I fear for your lack of ex-boyfriends. They didn't even bother to work out for their girl."

Her head fell back as she laughed whole-heartedly. Damon swore he would do anything to bottle up that laugh—it drove him crazy.

"You sure are a jerk. What if I like guys who don't care about how their bodies look like? See….you aren't my type at all," she mused.

Damon pressed his body into hers to show her how wrong she was. He dipped his head into the nape of her neck and kissed lightly all the way up to her ear.

"You lie," he whispered. "You want me as much as I want you. Every time I'm near you, your body was begging for my attention. Say it," he demanded.

Elena did not say a word. Damon knew she was holding it in. She wanted to let go. He just had to convince her it was okay to give in to what she wanted.

"I said say it, Elena." His mouth wrapped around her ear lobe, and she moaned. Her body became limp under his lips.

He slowly kissed up her jaw as he tilted her head back before his mouth covered hers in a hard kiss. Elena tried to struggle but his fingers shoved into her hair and twisted, forcing her head back and holding her captive as his tongue drove insolently into her mouth.

"Admit it." He lifted his mouth off hers only far enough to speak, "This is what you want."

"Let me go."

"Not a chance, lady."

"This is wrong…"

He kissed her again and he could feel her body trembling against his.

It wasn't a conscious decision. She didn't voluntarily capitulate. Her emotions superseded her will and responded on their own. Still, her stubborn nature balked at total compliance. She succeeded in tearing her mouth free. Her lips felt swollen and bruised.

"You are going to break your own rules."

She laid her hands on his shoulders, intending to push him away. But he lowered his head again. His lips ate at hers. Her fingers curled inward, forming deep furrows in the tense muscles of his upper arms.

When the kiss ended, she rolled her head to one side. "Stop," she moaned.

He did. At least he stopped kissing her lips. But he laid his open mouth against her neck. "You want this as much as I do."


	8. Chapter 8

Elena ignored every alarm going off in her head as Damon drove to his place. She struggled to fight with her head, and her heart—Part Angel and Part Devil were screaming at her, and all she could think of was how good it felt to have Damon's mouth and body on her and how much she wanted more.

She had hardly paid attention to where they were going and soon realize Damon was parking in his garage. He quickly got out and opened her door, grabbing her hand eagerly and pulling her out.

He barely yanked the keys out of the lock before slamming her into the wall, pressing them firmly against it. He bit her lower lip. She went in search of a full-fledged, open-mouth, tongue-thrusting kiss, and got it.

Meeting Damon had awakened something inside her. Rather, it was Damon who was the reason she wanted—needed—this. Her body felt as if it was on fire as she craved every part of him. She wanted him inside her—teasing and torturing her. She wanted his mouth on her skin, kissing every bruised and broken memory. She wanted him more than she had ever thought she needed someone.

After a while they broke apart and gazed into each other's eyes. Their rapid breaths soughed together. It was the only sound they could hear.

He lifted her into his arms and carried her to his room. The bedsheets were white and clean. His knee made a deep dent in the mattress. The instant her hair made contact with the pillows, his body covered hers with mating possessiveness. Their mouths came together hungrily as Damon gathered her beneath him.

Kissing her deeply, he slid his hand beneath her dress and up her smooth thigh. He palmed her. She was warm, damp. He gently squeezed her mound. Her responding gasp was soft and yearning. Quickly he sat up and plunged his other hand beneath her dress. Hooking the fingers of both hands in the elastic of her panties, he peeled them down her legs.

Then he straddled her, planting his knees solidly on either side of hers. Elena's heart was fluttering wildly as she gazed up at him. His thighs looked hard and lean inside the black trousers. From her perspective his shoulders looked broader, his arms more powerful, like he could break her in two if he wanted to.

Damon was wearing no expression. His eyes seemed to be the only spot of colour in the dark room. They burned.

She focused on them as he pushed her dress all the way off her body. Impatiently he pushed aside the flimsy lace cups of her brassiere. Her breasts lay softly upon her chest, but the areolas were wrinkled and puckered with arousal. Her nipples were very pink and very hard.

Damon bent over her and stroked one with his tongue. Elena's back arched off the bed. He touched her again and again with the pointed tip of his tongue, then he drew one of the shiny, wet nipples into his mouth.

The pleasure was so exquisite, the heat so fierce, Elena clutched at him. Her seeking hands came to rest on his upper thighs. Her thumbs settled in the grooves of his groin. He bridged her body with his stiff arms and dipped his head low over her breasts.

"Unzip me," he directed huskily between the soft, damp caresses he was giving her breasts. After a few moments, when it became apparent that she wasn't going to, he stood on his knees again and reached for his fly. He winced as he worked the zipper down. Elena stared, fascinated, as the wedge widened. It filled up with body hair that was dark and dense.

When the zipper was undone, he hooked his thumbs into the cloth and pulled the trousers down over his hips. Elena caught her breath and held it, shocked by his flagrant immodesty and the fullness of his erection. The tip was as round and smooth and voluptuous as a ripe plum.

He reversed the position of their knees until hers were on the outside. Elena closed her eyes.

At that instant, she wanted desperately to call it off because she knew it was wrong.

But then he touched her there. His fingers lightly tweaked clumps of dark curls, then slid between the soft folds of her body and up inside, stretching into the wetness. And she was lost.

Damon knew the exact moment that she relinquished her body entirely to him; he felt the tension leave her, her legs relaxing, then opening for him, and the poignant sweetness of her surrender sent desire raging uncontrollably through him. It made his heart thunder and his body throb until even his limbs began to tremble as he shifted on top of her. Gone was his hazy hope of prolonging this unbelievable, momentous joining; all that mattered was being a part of her. His eyes were clenched shut as he held himself above her, easing himself into her an inch at a time, fighting the overpowering need to bury himself full-length in her incredible warmth, to devour her with his hands and mouth.

His control began to slip when she arched her hips and ran her fingers through the hair at his nape, and lifted her hips, and whispered, "Please. Damon." The exquisite sweetness of his name on her lips and the arousing shift of her body reaching for his tore a silent groan from him, and he drove into her, plunging again and again, until they were both wild with wanting, reaching together for it... finding it in the same moment, exploding together and then shattering. Limbs entwined, hearts thundering, he wrapped her in his arms, and still he kept thrusting, wanting to spill his yearning into her, and Elena held him to her, her body beginning to convulse again, until her rhythmic spasms had finally drained him of everything except a feeling of overwhelming joy and peace.

He collapsed against her, his skin fiery, his breathing laboured, and then he moved onto his side to keep himself from crushing her, taking her with him, his arm around her back, his fingers buried in the bunched satin of her hair. Silent, floating, still intimately joined to her, he let his hand drift up and down her spine, revelling in the sensation of being held inside her wet warmth and the brush of her lips against his collarbone.

He felt her breathing even out and realized she was falling asleep. He smiled to himself, a little embarrassed by his lack of restraint that had worn them both out so completely and so quickly. He would let her sleep for an hour, he decided, and himself too. Then he would wake her up and make love to her more properly and thoroughly.

x x x

 _Elena could still smell the popcorn when she woke up in the middle of the night. Friday was always family movie night, and she and Jeremy had all shared a bag. They snuggled on mounds of pillows and blankets on the floor as their parents snuggled up on the couch watching some Disney animation movie._

 _The two of them fell asleep on the floor, and Elena vaguely remembered her father carrying her back into her bed. He kissed her forehead and covered her up. "Goodnight, Princess."_

 _The sound of yelling woke her up hours later. It was still dark out, and her eyes were blurry, but she rubbed them open as she got out of her bed._

 _She crept to her door and slowly opened it. The hall light was off, but she could see the kitchen light on in the distance. She tiptoed as quietly as she could down the hall and peeked around to the kitchen where her parents were arguing._

 _"God dammit!" Miranda cursed. Her hands were flailing at Grayson as she continued. "How could you spend all that money? How could you when we have a family to support?" she scowled._

 _Grayson hushed her and went to reach for her, but she pushed back. "Miranda, please. I will take care of this. I promise."_

 _Elena could hear her mother crying through her hands that were covering her face. She was tempted to walk to her mother and hug her. She wanted to comfort her mother and ask her what was wrong, but she could tell it was something that her father had done._

 _"How, Grayson? How the hell do you plan to pay back one-hundred thousand dollars? We don't have that kind of money!"_

 _"I will ask for an extension. It will be fine," he promised. "Wes will get me some extra time._

 _Miranda's hands finally released her face. Her eyes were red and blotchy. "We will have to sell the house," she deadpanned. "There's no other way we will come up with that money."_

 _"No...we can take out a second mortgage or something, Miranda. We can't sell our house."_

 _"And how are we going to pay on that steep of a mortgage, Grayson? With one income and two kids?" Her face was stern, and Elena knew that look meant serious trouble. "You gambled our life savings away!"_

 _"I will get back in the business. I will get more money." Grayson cupped her cheek and kissed it softly. "I will do anything."_

Elena woke up rattled, draped in Damon's arms. Her mind quickly analysed the dream she just had. Wes. A name she didn't remember ever hearing. But it gave her something she didn't have before.

She looked over to Damon. He was sleeping quietly next to her. He looked relaxed as he slept, not a worry wrinkles in sight.

Elena carefully wedged out of his grip. She grabbed one of the loose sheets that had landed on the floor and wrapped herself in it. This was her chance to snoop around for anything she could use. If his father had worked on her father's case, it was likely that the information was somewhere.

She walked to the door and slowly opened it. She quickly looked behind her shoulder to double-check Damon hadn't woken up.

She went down the hallway to look for his office. She found a linen closet and bathroom before she spotted the door that opened to a desk and filing cabinets lining the walls.

She closed the door behind her and sat at his desk behind the computer. She moved the mouse and his home screen popped on. She had no idea where to look or how she was going to get in, but she had to try.

She browsed his files and one popped out at her: Giuseppe's Cases. She double clicked and a password code box popped up.

Damn.

Password.

Elena tried Salvatore.

Denied.

Damon.

Denied. Too easy.

She tapped her fingers restlessly as she tried to think of possible passwords. This was Damon's personal home computer, so she would imagine it must be something closely related to him—something he was passionate about.

Elena could tell from the pictures and articles she found on him online that he was very passionate about one thing. The one thing he was unable to do anymore—modelling.

She tried again.

Denied.

Damn. She was running out of time. She shuffled through the papers on top of his desk for any kind of clue.

But there was nothing.

Elena opened up the first drawer and spotted a bunch of magazines. Men's Fitness. She moved them around and looked underneath for anything and then as her fingers brushed against the glossy pages—it hit her,

She grabbed the magazines and flipped through them. Men's Fitness was a fashion and health magazine—models. Damon used to model for a variety of magazines and photographers, but he was only represented through one agency—the most popular agency in the US—Showbiz Talent.

With nothing to lose, she tried one more time.

Access granted.

Elena squealed quietly to herself as she gathered herself back together and began searching.

Docs, files, and scanned images popped up in the folder. There were hundreds of them. They were all organized from month and year. She looked for the month and year of her father's death.

Her heart was racing as she spotted it finally. She double clicked and browsed through the names on the folders.

Anderson.

Easton.

Gilbert.

Martin.

Elena double clicked the last one and up popped all of Grayson Gilbert's information on his case. She was so stunned. Her fingers were shaking as she moved the mouse around.

The folder marked police files was the first one she clicked on. The police report basically said what she already knew from the newspapers and from the little of what her mother told her. Drive by shooter. No helpful witnesses. Found six bullets.

Elena tried to think of how many times her father was shot and how many shots she remembered hearing. He was hit twice, which had meant four were missed—one grazed her shoulder, but she was nowhere near her father, which meant the shooter barely slowed down as he drove past their house and shot out his window. He didn't slow down as she had originally thought—he could have cared less that there were two children outside and in the way of his target.

It made sense as to why Jeremy only partially saw the license plate and how the neighbours hadn't seen anything. Drive by. No stopping to make sure they even hit their target.

She exited out and clicked on the witnesses' folder. She knew the police spoke to her mother a few days after she was home from the hospital. Jenna, Miranda's sister was over when the detective came over to ask Miranda questions. Jenna took Elena and Jeremy out of the room, so Elena didn't hear anything her mother told the police, but this report outlined the conversation.

Miranda confessed that Grayson was in debt to another man, but she claimed not to know who. Grayson had gotten into some financial issues and was working on re-paying him. She said it was months ago, and the report said police weren't sure if they were linked or not to the shooting.

Another part of the report said the bullets were analysed by technicians and were being put through the database for any matches to another crime. Elena knew from her previous research that this was to cross-analyse to other shootings, but the results weren't posted in the report.

She clicked out of the folder to search through the evidence folder when she heard footsteps in the hallway. She quickly clicked out of everything and held in her breath, but her heart raced as she started plotting her way out of this.

Without making the chair squeak, she quietly pushed backward and dipped down underneath the desk. She squeezed under the desk and pulled the chair in as much as possible. Damon couldn't know she was here.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for the support and kind reviews:) I'm glad my readers are enjoying this story as much as I do. I will try to update a few chapters before I go away. Damon is an interesting character to write and so is Elena. Some of my readers think Damon is an asshole, LOL! Well, he is in a way, ha! I have always liked to write "bad boy" Damon, LOL!**

 **Anyway, thank you for everything!**


	9. Chapter 9

Nudged from his sleep by a sound somewhere in the house, Damon opened his eyes and stared in mild confusion at the empty pillow beside him. The room was dark, and he rolled onto his side, squinting at his watch. It was almost one a.m., and he leaned up on his elbow.

Where was Elena?

His memory started flashing back to the night's events. His heart raced faster as he thought about Elena and her body pressed up against his—her stunning face, mouth, and legs. She was gorgeous.

He found his briefs on the floor and put them on before going out the door. He stumbled to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. He drank half of it before putting it back onto the kitchen counter and started walking back down the hallway. He expected to see the bathroom light on, but it wasn't. He drove her here so she couldn't have possibly left.

Unless she snuck out purposely.

The thought made Damon's blood boil. Leaving him like a one-night stand when he had clearly made her his…His hands turned to fists as he walked down the hall to look for her.

He opened the bathroom door, but it was empty.

"Elena?" He called out but there was no response.

He continued walking down to his office. The door was closed, but he stepped in any way.

The room was still and silent as he expected it to be, but he called for her again anyway. "Elena, you here?"

Nothing.

Rage built inside him as he imagined the worst. She had bailed.

He should have expected it.

Did the night's events mean nothing to her?

He felt like an idiot. Somehow, he felt as if he had been raped! No, not raped, used, like some paid stud who she could take to her bed when she wanted a "special" time, and then dismiss afterward like an insignificant peon.

Damon started storming out of his office when something near his desk caught his eye.

Part of his white sheet.

It was peeking underneath his desk. He looked up at his office chair and saw it was not pulled in all the way.

Elena was hiding.

Was she hiding from him or was she hiding from being caught?

"Elena," he growled.

No answer.

After no response or movement, Damon decided to walk out as if he didn't know she was sitting under there. He walked to the other end of the hallway to where his sitting room was. He walked to the bar and grabbed a glass.

He tried to think how he wanted to handle this, but only rage consumed him. His mind was filling with questions and until he knew the answers to them, his body wasn't going to settle down.

Why was she hiding?

What was she doing in his office?

Fear, doubt, and rage continue to churn inside of him as he thought about Elena being a traitor or worse—an outside job. His mind was thinking of worst case scenarios and quickly, he convinced himself she was working for someone else to get inside information. He couldn't let her make a fool out of him, or Salvatore Enterprises.

Not again.

It wouldn't be the first time a girl had used Damon for inside information. The thought brought him back to two years ago when a woman almost destroyed him. Salvatore Enterprises held exclusive and confidential information that other reporters wouldn't think twice about stealing.

He heard the creak of his office door opening and slow, faint steps against the carpet in the hallway. He heard another door open and he knew she had wandered back into his bedroom.

Damon slowly walked inside his room and saw Elena shimmied into her dress.

"You want to tell me what are you doing, Elena."

She whirled quickly to face him. "I think it is time you take me home."

"You want to tell me who you really are, Elena?" Damon moved towards her. "I know you are hiding something from me."

She had to fight the instinct to step back when he came to a halt directly in front her. "I'm exactly who I told you I was. I have nothing to hide."

"How far are you willing to go to prove that?"

"I already told you, Damon. I have nothing to hide." She tried to keep her voice steady, but it was not easy. He was so close. "I'm not lying."

"Tell me, Elena." He captured her face between his hands. "Tell me the truth."

"I told you, I'm not lying."

Damon wasn't sure he could trust her words. It felt like she was controlling everything when it came to his emotions.

This was exactly why he didn't allow himself to get too close—like last time.

Emotions. And then attachments. He would get hurt if there were emotions and attachments.

His eyes dropped to her lips and his hand slid up her arm, curving around her nape. "Why don't I believe you?"

"Why do you doubt me? I have been nothing but honest with you, Damon. Why are you—"

"Why am I what, Elena? Why don't you tell me what you were doing in my office?"

Elena went very still.

"Yes, I saw you," He answered her silent thoughts. "So, you can either tell me the truth, or I will make sure you do using my way. Either way, it is a win-win for me." Rage fuelled his actions as he continued thinking about her betrayal.

Elena didn't answer him, and it was all the confirmation he needed to know that he was right.

"You aren't going to tell me, aren't you?" he said, his hand tightening on her nape. "All right. Have it your way." Before she could realise his intent, his mouth swooped down, seizing hers in a kiss of ruthless sensuality, grinding her lips apart. His fingers shoved into her hair and twisted, forcing her head back and holding her captive as his tongue drove insolently into her mouth.

The kiss was intended to punish her, and Elena knew it, but instead of fighting him as he obviously expected her to do, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her body to his, and kissed him back, trying to convince him in this way that she didn't lie despite she was a big, fat liar. Her response made him stiffen in shock; he tensed, as if he intended to shove her away, and then with a low groan he gathered her into his arms and kissed her with a slow, melting hunger. The kiss deepened dramatically, his mouth moving urgently, persuasively, on hers, and against her, Elena felt the rigid pressure of his aroused body.

When he finally lifted his head, he gazed deeply into her eyes. His breathing was harsh and uneven.

"I broke all my rules with you," he said roughly. "I didn't use a protection. I never do that," he confessed, mystified by his own neglect. "My motto is no emotion and no attachment. But you make me break all my rules. You ready to tell me now, Elena? Who are you working for?" he asked gruffly.

"You, Damon. I work for you."

"Damn you, don't lie to me!"

"You have to listen…"

"I'm not listening to another lie," he said roughly, and his mouth captured hers in a bruising kiss.

Elena struggled and finally managed to tear her mouth from his. "You have to trust me, Damon."

She was convincing in her lies—she was a master manipulator. It was not hard, considering every scenario Damon was thinking about was wrong. She didn't work for anyone and she was here to attain information for personal gain. She had no intention of harming Salvatore Enterprise.

Elena laughed to herself at the irony. When it was said like that, it sounded ridiculous. What she was doing was ridiculous. But she didn't care. If she didn't take the risk and at least tried, she would never know the reason her father was murdered.

Damon slammed them into the wall—her back pressed against the wall.

"What were you doing in my office?" His tone deep and serious. He locked his eyes with her so she could see just how serious he was.

"I was checking my college's email," Elena explained. "I-I panicked when I heard you. I thought you would be mad that I was on it without asking."

He narrowed his eyes. "Checking your email?" he repeated doubtfully. "Why would you hide for checking your email?"

Elena shrugged lightly, her eyes maintaining eye contact with him. "I wasn't sure how you felt about people touching your stuff."

It was a simple response. Almost too simple. His heart actually wanted to believe her. "Can I trust you, Elena?" He moved his mouth to her lips and kissed her softly. "I want to trust you, Elena."

"You can. I promise."

"I want to, Elena. I want to trust you so badly," he confessed. His forehead was pressed against hers, and Elena could feel his hot breath against his mouth. He was battling with himself. He was torn between letting her in and keeping her at a distance.

After her father had died, there were countless times that Elena wished she had died right along with him that day. She had dated when she was in high school and college but she had always kept the boys at a distance, not wanting to let that part of her heart open for any boy. She didn't want to be in love. She never felt like she deserved it. How could she allow herself to love when she was still mourning her father's death all these years later? She just knew she could never give the boys what they wanted.

All these years Elena had always felt she was incapable of caring that much for someone, so much that she wanted to let them in. And this was how she knew Damon was struggling with the same thing. Between letting her in, trusting her, and pushing her away. It was too late for the both of them. They were both way too far in, and now she had to cover her tracks before he found out the actual truth.

"You can trust me, Damon," she said again. Because it was true. Besides the lies she was forced to hide, her feelings were real.

Damon lifted his head up and made eye contact with her. "I hope you mean that, Elena. God, I really hope, because this isn't easy for me. It has been a long time since I have let someone in…and I want to let you in. I crave letting you in."

"I do," Elena whispered, a tinge of guilt left her throat. She hoped Damon didn't notice, but she couldn't help it. Her heart and mind were in the middle of world war three, and there was nothing she could do about it because she already knew her heart would win. But she couldn't lose focus on what she really wanted—what she was really after.

His hands wrapped her face, cupping her cheeks as he crushed their mouths together. Elena immediately submitted to his lips and tongue wanting everything he was willing to give her.

* * *

 **Lust, lies and betrayals - do you still trust with your heart? Or do you listen to your brain?**

 **I hope my readers have enjoyed this story of mine so far. I am enjoying myself writing this story, although I know some of the readers don't really like Damon, LOL!**

 **Thank you for the support and reviews. I really appreciate them:)**


	10. Chapter 10

"You look like death," Matt said casually as he leant against the locker next to Elena.

Elena was sore, exhausted, and not in the mood for this. "Thanks, buddy. You always know how to make a girl feel good."

Matt narrowed his eyebrow at her. "Would you prefer I tell you or some jackass that you hate?"

"I prefer you say nothing at all."

He put his hands up in surrender. "So, where the hell have you been lately? Every time I call you, it goes straight to voice mail."

"Oh, my bad. Just things going on at home. You know...the usual." Elena shrugged nonchalantly so Matt didn't question her. Definitely time to change the subject. "Have you seen Caroline?"

"She is probably in the gym or something."

Elena took a mental note to drill Caroline for details later. She knew her friend would never admit it was Matt, but she would at least tell Elena about some guy she hooked up with—even if she lied about who it was.

"Okay, I will just catch up with her later then." Elena grabbed her books and slammed her locker shut. "Let's hang out next week, okay?"

Matt nodded in agreement as they walked to their next class. Elena hated deceiving Matt, but she had no choice if she wanted to keep this secret a secret.

She hated lying to her friends.

And she hated even more lying to Damon.

Butterflies rose in her stomach as she thought about him. A queasy combination of anxiety and fear built up as she thought about being at work with him on Saturday. Would they go back to boss and intern or would he treat her differently now?

However, as much as Elena wanted Damon, she wanted the truth about her father more.

She wouldn't let anyone stop her from doing what she had planned on doing—finding justice for her father.

Elena walked to Miranda's bedroom, peeking in before she sneaked inside. Her mother should be working, but just in case, Elena double checked.

Her mother must have something in here. Some files, information, documentation on her father. Elena searched around her vanity, dresser, and closet.

Nothing.

She looked under her bed, moving around all the old shoes and water bottles that must have slipped under there.

Again, nothing.

She sat on the floor and thought for a moment as she slowly took a look around.

It was not under the bed.

If her mother were hiding something significant about her father, she would hide it somewhere people wouldn't think to look.

She ripped the bed sheet off and felt around the mattress for a slit or opening. But she didn't feel anything. Frustrated, she finally lifted the mattress up as high as she could. Adrenaline and determination fed her strength to flip the entire thing over, and then she saw it—a white envelope taped to the bottom of the mattress.

Elena grabbed it, ripping the tape off with it. It was sealed shut with nothing written on the outside. She rubbed her fingers over it, wondering if it would give any information that she had been craving.

She ripped the envelope open and spotted a small piece of folded paper. She pulled it out and held it firmly in between two fingers.

Her breathing quickened as she unfolded it, delicately as if it would break. She unfolded it once more before it was completely open, exposed.

 _Jonas Martin_

 _42-19-36_

 _No. 6_

Elena stared at it and realized it was some kind of lock box code. Number 6 and this was the lock combination. But for what? And where? And who was Jonas Martin?

"Elena!" She heard Jeremy shouted up the stairs. "Caroline is here to see you!"

"Hold on, I will be right there!" she shouted back.

She clenched the piece of paper in her fist as she pushed the mattress back on top of the box spring. She quickly put the sheets and pillows back on before leaving the room.

As she walked down the stairs, she thought about the secrets her mother must be hiding—hiding for her father. Were they always unsafe?

After dinner, Elena went on a Google hunt for a Jonas Martin. She had no idea what she was looking for, and considering it was not an uncommon name, she ended up with hundreds of Google links. But if it was important enough for her mother to hide, it had to link to her father somehow. She could feel it.

She narrowed it down and searched Jonas Martin + Mystic Falls.

No matches.

She tried again, this time adding in her father's old job title. Jonas Martin + insurance broker.

Nothing.

This was going to be so much harder than she had thought.

x x x

After last night's events were finally wearing off, Damon could finally think straight. As much as his body craved and desired Elena, he needed to start thinking with his head.

As soon as he arrived to work, he told Erika to get Elena's file and her guidance counsellor on the phone. He was supposed to check her references three weeks ago. And with the suspicion building up inside him, he had to know. He needed to know for certain that she was who she said she was to get over this huge lump in his chest. He couldn't let his need for her take over his ability to protect his father's company.

"Here you are, Mr Salvatore. Everything is in there." Erika gently placed the file on his desk and quietly left without another word.

Damon immediately opened it up and racked his brain about the details of her interview. It wasn't that long ago, but for some reason, it felt longer.

 _Elena Gilbert. 21. Senior. University of Virginia._

He remembered the exact way she looked the day of her interview. Sophisticated and put together on the outside, fearless and strong on the inside. A deadly combination…

He looked over her transcripts, her letters of recommendation, and college awards. It was obvious she was extremely bright. Her professors raved about her skills, her ability to learn quickly, and her desire for journalism and criminology. It was perfect.

Perhaps a little too perfect.

Thinking back to her, he decided to do a Facebook and Google search on Elena. Something he didn't typically do on his colleagues because he didn't need to. Everything was usually broken down in the criminal background and security check. Yet, nothing popped up for Elena. Her record was spotless.

Damon found Google records of her license, registration, and insurance. He had found a Twitter account that looked as if it had never been used, and a Facebook account that was set to private. However, there was no profile picture.

He stared at it and realised there was so much he didn't know about her, so much that she could be hiding.

His phone rang and distracted him from his thoughts. He quickly exited out of all the screens before answering it.

"Yes?"

"Sir, Professor Tanner is on line one for you."

Damon thanked Erika and quickly switched the line over.

"Hello, this is Damon Salvatore from Salvatore Enterprises," Damon greeted. "Thank you for calling me back, Mr Tanner."

"Hello, Mr Salvatore. How may I help you?"

"Yes, I was wondering if you could give me some information on one of your students. A Miss Elena Gilbert. She applied to an internship program here a while ago and actually received it. My apologies for not contacting you sooner on this matter, but I thought we should at least communicate about her references."

Damon heard Tanner cleared his throat before responding. "Uh, Elena Gilbert, you say?"

"Ah, yes, sir. She is one of your students?"

"Yes, she is. I wasn't aware she was even looking into internships, nevertheless applying for them."

Damon heard the confusion in his voice and wonder if perhaps he was getting old for his job.

Damon smirked to himself before replying. "Well, sir, I actually have a letter of recommendation from you. It says you acknowledge her skills as a student and that she would be a valuable asset to our company." He tried not to sound rude, but he was annoyed at how Tanner couldn't even keep his students straight. "Elena Gilbert, she's about five feet-six. Um, long straight brown hair?" He rambled off her looks as if it would matter.

"I'm aware of what she looks like, sir. I'm not aware of any internship she has applied to." Tanner's tone was harsh. "Or any letter of recommendation."

Damon ran his tongue along his lower lip as he took in this new information. He was not sure what it all meant, but one thing was for sure—Elena lied on her application.

* * *

 **Thank you for all the support and wonderful reviews. I will update another chapter or two before I go away for the next 10 days. Really appreciate the support from my readers:)**


	11. Chapter 11

Elena spent better part of Friday night trying to research Jonas Martin and what connection he could possibly have to her father. But she ended up falling asleep at her desk with her lights still on. By the time she woke up, she was already late for work.

"Damn it!"

She frantically rushed to get ready and drove faster than she should. But she was still late. She was in the office five minutes before 9.00 a.m.

She was feeling nervous as she had no idea how Damon was going to be. And she had no idea what they were…or how she was supposed to act around him.

She smoothed her skirt with her hands as she walked down the hall to Damon's office. She walked in slowly and watched him intently to gauge his mood. He sat tall as he continued writing something.

"Good morning, Mr Salvatore," she said as she stood in front of his desk.

"Good morning, Miss Gilbert." His voice was deep and smooth. She nervously stood there, anticipating him yelling at her soon.

Damon finally lifted his head and made eye contact with her. There was an amused grin on his face as he took in her outfit. Elena wondered if he was going to mention Thursday night, but after sneaking out early, and taking a cab to her car Friday morning, she hadn't heard from him since. And she hadn't tried to contact him either.

She watched as Damon squirmed in his chair as if he was fighting an inner battle. His eyes weren't as soft, and suddenly, she felt butterflies in her stomach, as she feared something was wrong.

"I have a project for you this morning," Damon said as he handed her a thick manila folder. "In order for me, as your boss, to know your abilities, we have all interns and out-of-college grads complete a practice case file."

She nodded in understanding.

"It is a simple junior college-level case, something similar you have probably already covered in one of your class projects." He smiled at her, and Elena felt as if he was challenging her.

"Great, I will get started." She smiled back and turned to walk out the door.

"Oh, and Elena." His voice jerked her back around to face him. "You have one hour."

Elena nodded and hurried out of his office and into the one she had been allowed to use. She adjusted herself in the office chair and flipped open the file. She read over the notes, the case information, and the evidence. She had to nail this if she wanted to continue to find justice for her father.

She had to do it right and she could do it.

 _Victim: Mark Philips_

 _Background information: 34-year-old Caucasian male, never returned home after work on Thursday, March 19. Wife reported him missing the next day._

 _Case Notes: Police followed up with his job at R &R, a food processing company. He worked 6AM to 6PM Monday-Thursday._

 _It was confirmed that he punched in at 5:57AM and punched out at 12:35PM for his lunch break. He then punched back in at 1:35PM but never punched back out for the evening._

 _Detectives interviewed the company owner, his supervisor, his line partner, and five other employees that said they saw him that day._

 _John Smith, his line partner, claimed he left work early. Records proved he punched out at 5:02PM._

 _Ron Huntington, his supervisor, claimed to not have seen him after lunch, as he was in a business meeting from 1PM to 4PM and then left immediately after to pick up his daughter from day-care. Detectives confirmed his daughter was picked up at 4:17PM_.

 _Jerry Sullivan, Heath Tyner, Joseph McMillian, Lenny Johnston, and David Winters were also interviewed—they noted that Mark always worked twelve-hour days. Jerry was known to not get along well with Mark, and David was currently in anger management (both unrelated, just an observation.)_

 _His car was found undisturbed in the parking lot. No video surveillance._

Elena read over the rest of the papers that are included in the file, all made up notes and interviews.

With one minute left, she shuffled the papers back in the manila folder and headed back to Damon's office.

She knew she could nail this.

She knocked softly, and Damon told her to enter. She cautiously walked to his desk, his body language unreadable. A shift had occurred since they were together the other night, and her racing heart told her it was from him finding her in his office. He was suspicious. He still didn't believe what she had told him.

"Well?" Damon asked. He was leaning back all the way in his chair, his hands resting behind his head. "Do you have a conclusion?"

Elena could hear the amusement in his tone. It was as if he was expecting her to get this wrong, expecting her to not know the answer.

"I believe I do." He gestured for her to keep going. She cleared her throat, stood up a little taller, and responded, "His wife is the suspect."

His eyes widened as his lips curved up into a smirk. "And what makes you think that?"

Elena cleared her throat. His eyes wandered up her legs to her chest and met back up to hers. She smiled confidently and continued. "She waited too long to call the police. Her alibi is improbable at best. Any concerned wife would have called his cell phone several times or the company phone, and after that, the police. Except, she didn't. She waited until the next day. She also made sure it was a Thursday, his last work day of the week. I found the likelihood of her coming into his place of work much more plausible than any of his co-workers having anything to do with his disappearance. She had distracted him before he got the chance to punch out, which was her sole purpose in getting the attention off her."

His lips formed into a half-sided grin, a smirk that could melt the panties off any girl. But right now, all Elena wanted to do was impress him—wash away any doubt that he was feeling.

"That's very impressive."

She narrowed her eyes. "You look surprised."

"Well…this case is used in many trial interviews and internships. It has been used as an extensive training guide due to the fine details that often get overlooked."

"And you didn't think I could do it." It was more of a statement than a question because she could hear the doubt in his tone.

His jaw ticked as he smoothly rubbed a hand over it. "No."

Elena took a step back, shocked by his confession. "Then why even give me the task if you expect me to fail?"

"Let me make myself clearer. I didn't think you could do it…because it takes most people three hours to come to the same conclusion you just did."

"And you only gave me an hour," she whispered, confused.

"Correct. I wanted to challenge you."

"Why? I have done everything you have asked me to do. Do you doubt my ability to work here?" she asked with anger in her tone, but she quickly controlled herself.

"You are very bright, Elena. Extremely smart and confident. Trust me. I don't doubt those qualities at all."

"Well, I can sense it is something, so why don't you just come out and tell me?" she snapped reluctantly.

Damon leaned forward in his chair and crossed his arms over his desk. His intensity made her nervous, but she tried to shake it off before he could sense it.

"All right." He looked at her over once more before continuing. "I was finally able to speak with your guidance counsellor, Professor Tanner."

Her body stiffened as she heard his words. She assumed he had done all that before she was accepted. She didn't know she still had to worry about it.

"Did he even know who I was?" she smirked, trying to play it as if Tanner was losing his memory from old age.

"He did."

Elena swallowed. Damon's face was firm as his intense eyes burned into hers. She suddenly decided to switch her plan.

"I guess he doesn't remember writing the letter since you're bringing it up?" she asked, trying to keep her voice strong.

"That would be correct."

"Okay." Elena cleared her throat and tried to think really hard to come up with something that would make Damon believed her. "He didn't write me that letter of recommendation. Professor Tanner and I don't have a good relationship. I-I might have come on too strong around him when I was trying to ask why he gave me a B instead of an A. He made a pass at me and I told him off. Ever since then, he keeps his distance. I was too afraid to ask him for a letter of recommendation, so I asked his TA."

"His TA?" His eyebrows lifted as if he was sceptical.

"Yes, Jordan Williams. He is a friend of mine and I asked him for a favour. It was a letter I deserved, but I didn't want to approach Professor Tanner because of what happened last time."

Elena tried to sound believable and looked the part. She felt pathetic. This was pathetic. More lies. But she had no choice. She was too far in. If she told Damon the truth now, she would be ruined.

"You understand what could happen if I told your professor? Not to mention what would happen to your internship?"

She swallowed hard again. Because she did know. She knew very well what would happen. This strategy would have been all for nothing.

She nodded. "Yes, Mr Salvatore. I do understand."

Damon wanted to believe every word Elena was telling. He wanted to believe her because he wanted her. But he needed to remember what he was doing here.

 _You are a Salvatore, son._

Giuseppe's words echoed in his head as he stared at the beautiful girl in front of him. She was strong, determined, and bright. He couldn't keep the thought of her out of his head for more than two seconds—the way she presented herself, the beauty in who she was, and the way she got under his skin were all reasons he wanted to believe her.

Not many women try to use their brains to get Damon's attention. And it was the hottest thing in the entire world watching Elena used both—brains and beauty. But she was so much more than that. Her personality, witty sense of humour, and her ability to act professional when it was needed were all screaming at him to believe her—forgive her for lying about one letter.

"All right. I'm not going to say anything to the committee about it." Elena exhaled a breath of relief. "This time," Damon emphasized. "Is there anything else you need to tell me, Elena?" he asked, but deep down, he was unsure he wanted an answer. He didn't think he could handle having to let her go, telling her to walk away from this internship, since he could tell how important it was to her.

"No, Mr Salvatore. Nothing else."

"Good."

Damon watched intently as Elena shifted from foot to foot. They had slept together, and yet he was still making her nervous. She swallowed slowly, taking in whatever he was about to say. He wanted so badly to scream and yell at her for being in his home office and demand the truth, but he knew that would backfire. She had given her a reasonable explanation, yet it wasn't sitting right with him. And he was not sure that had anything to do with Elena, or the fact that he needed to keep her a safe distance. The closer she got, the worse it could be.

x x x

Damon gave Elena a few errands. It was not work related, but he needed to get her out of his office. He needed to clear his head.

Except he couldn't. Flashbacks of the other night resurface—the softness of her body, the aching moans she screamed, and the way his body felt when he was inside her. It was all too distracting when he needed to be thinking about his company—his future.

Being burned before—and almost ruined— Damon knew he had to be cautious, but part of him refused to believe Elena was anything but genuine. She was in college. She was twenty-one years old. She was smart. All those reasons should tell him he was over-paranoid. But part of him was still unsure.

She walked into his office with his dry cleaning, extra bold coffee, and transcript files he had asked her to find. He didn't really need them, but he needed to keep her busy. He needed to keep her distant.

Damon stood up and took the dry cleaning from her, softly grazing her hand. "Thank you."

Elena scowled. "You are welcome, Mr Salvatore."

He raised his eyebrows. "Is there a problem, Miss Gilbert?"

Her eyes dropped to the floor, her body tensing at the firmness of his voice. Damon knew she was pissed that he had sent her on an errand run instead of giving her something to do here.

"No, of course not," she mumbled as she placed his coffee and files on his desk.

He didn't want her to stay around longer than required. "Why don't you take the day off?"

She looked surprised by his words. "It is not even lunch time."

He placed the hanger on his coat rack. "I have nothing for you to do."

Elena had had enough. "Is this the way it is going to be between us from now onwards?" she asked quietly.

A terrible stillness came over Damon. He couldn't think of anything to say to that so he kept quiet.

Elena pursed her lips and tilted her head slightly. "Just tell me why you are doing this," she said crossly.

"Don't ask question."

"Why?"

Damon sounded irritated. "You aren't going to let go, are you?"

"No, because I would like to know why you are even angrier today than you were last night."

"I will tell you why."

He took a few steps towards her, closing the distance between them. He dragged her into his arms with his hands on her shoulders. His mouth claimed hers in a kiss that was both rough and tender, his arms drawing her tightly against him. Her arms went up around his neck. She drove her fingers through his hair and held his head fast.

He tore his mouth free and locked his lustful gaze with hers. "Goddamn you. You left yesterday morning without a word."

Elena moistened her swollen lips. "I had class."

"You bailed like a one-night stand would."

She stared at him. "You are acting like this because I left you without a word."

"Dammit," Damon swore, released her and angrily shoving a hand through his hair. "You humiliated me, Elena." He walked away from her, and then he turned on his heel, his voice ringing with harsh irony. "Leaving me like that. I felt like an idiot. It felt like I had been raped! No, not raped, used, like some paid stud whom you can take to your bed when you want a 'special' time, and then dismiss afterward like a gigolo."

Elena swallowed a shout of laughter, watching him pace slowly back and forth, loving the way he moved, the way he clipped his words when he was angry.

"Not only that," he said, rounding on her. "I'm the soon-to-be CEO and you made me look incompetent by having that conversation with your professor!"

"You acted like you understood."

Damon spun her around and pushed her until the back of her thighs hit her desk. He leaned over her until his lips were barely touching hers.

"I said I wouldn't tell, I never said I wouldn't make you pay a price."

"And just how long do you intend to punish me?" she demanded.

"I haven't thought about it."

"This isn't fair," she cried. "You know how important this internship…"

He straightened himself and walked away from her. "Tough!"

The harsh word, his cold tone and implacable features, were so eloquent of his entire ruthless personality, Elena realized nothing she said or did would dissuade him from changing his mind. But she was not going to give up her plan. "I apologized. I mean…I will do anything…"

"I don't appreciate being made a fool," he pointed out. "Do we have an understanding?"

Her shoulders sagged, her bravado fleeing. "Yes, Mr Salvatore."

Damon was supposed to be in control but was angry by his own body's betrayal. The second he saw how upset she was, he wanted to pull her into his arms and take her immediately on his desk.

It took every ounce of his control but he stepped back and casually propped himself on the edge of his desk. It would look like she hadn't affected him at all. He was great at putting on masks.

Without looking at him, Elena turned on her heel and walked towards the door. "I will let you get back to your work, sir."

* * *

 **I am glad to know my readers are enjoying this story:) Sorry for the delay in updating the story in the next 10 days as I will be away...**

 **Anyway, I really appreciate the support and kind reviews.**


	12. Chapter 12

As soon as Damon told Elena to search for a certain transcript for him earlier, she knew it was her opportunity to search for Jonas Martin. She hadn't known what to look for the last time she was in there, but this time she knew.

However, she still came up empty handed. No record of a Jonas Martin and nothing linking him to any cases.

Damn.

This wasn't getting her anywhere.

Once Damon confronted her about Professor Tanner, she knew she had to come up with something quick. Soon he would be putting the pieces together. He would realise all the recommendation letters were fraud. She had no choice but to lie, again.

Relief washed over Elena when Damon said he wouldn't tell the committee, but part of her knew it was not over. There was no doubt there was something between them. It was a dangerous territory. They couldn't get enough of each other in bed that night and she would be lying if she said she had no desire to make love with Damon again.

Honestly, she didn't even know what was going on. She felt this whole situation was slipping away from her before she even had a chance to firmly grasp it.

After finding nothing on Jonas Martin, Elena began to wonder if he was even connected to her father's death. However, she couldn't stop thinking that if her mother hid it that it had to mean something. She just had to figure out how.

She changed as soon as she got home, trying to take in the day's events. She needed to get her head back on. Focused on what she was doing in Salvatore Enterprise in the first place. Damon was a major distraction—but she had to remember her priorities.

In the end, Elena had decided to corner her mother and see if she would tell her anything. It was a long shot, but she had to at least try again.

"Mum?" Elena peeked in the living room where Miranda was watching TV.

"What is it, Elena?" Miranda asked, yawning.

"I think we need to talk," Elena began as she sat on the other end of the couch.

"What is it, Elena?"

Elena drew in a shaky breath. "I want to ask you about Dad."

Miranda shifted uncomfortably and stared at the ceiling hesitating before responding. "What do you want to know that I haven't already told you?"

Elena crossed her arms and ankles at the same time. "Well, who is Jonas Martin?"

Miranda gasped, her eyes widened in surprise. "H-How did you know about that?" she asked in a demanding tone.

"I have been searching for answers, Mum. For ten years, I have asked. I have prayed to God to just tell me. I haven't been able to move on with my life. Every day my scar reminds me, making sure I can't forget that day."

Miranda swallowed hard, shocked at her daughter's confession. "Who have you been talking to? Do you have any idea what you are doing? You could be putting us in danger, Elena!"

"By who, Mum? Why won't you tell me?"

"Who are you talking to?" Miranda asked again.

"I have a…a friend who helped me. I found the note about Jonas Martin under your mattress."

Miranda shook her head in disbelief. "You should have never done that. You have no idea what you are doing! You are going to get us killed!"

"Then tell me, Mum!" Elena shouted, her cheeks burning with anger and resentment.

"We are not having this conversation. You are…not ready," Miranda proclaimed. "It is to protect you."

Miranda ran out on Elena with absolutely no answers—except that she knew for sure that the note did have something to do with Grayson. Which meant she needed to find out who was Jonas Martin, since her mother clearly wouldn't give her any answers.

She deserved to know the truth, no matter what. And she wouldn't stop until she had the truth.

Jeremy came into her room shortly after. He sat on the end of her bed silently. She pretended to read a book, but she was watching him intently.

"We haven't talked in a long time," Jeremy began. "Like really talked."

Elena put down her book. "I know."

"How is Matt?"

"Good. Still longing after Caroline but neither will admit it." Elena laughed. "And you? What's up in Jeremy-land?"

He narrowed his eyebrows at her. "Jeremy-land? Oh, it is great. This semester is packed with classes and exams."

Jeremy was three years younger than her and he was very talented in arts. Elena had no doubt he would get a scholarship in college next year.

She smiled at her brother. "You are going to do well. College is awesome and you will love it."

Jeremy just shrugged.

"Can I ask you something?" Elena said softly.

"Yeah, sure."

Elena instinctively rubbed her fingers over her shoulder, feeling the scar with her fingertips. "How much do you remember about that day? I know you have told me before, but…do you remember anything else? Like any conversations between Mum and Dad before?"

His lips formed a straight line. She knew it was a hard topic for the both of them, but she needed to ask him.

Jeremy looked down and his voice was pained. "I was only eight…"

"I know."

He looked up at Elena with sad eyes. "But I did remember seeing Mum and Dad fighting before he died."

Elena nodded in return. She could feel her throat tightening up, becoming scratchy at just the thought. She reached across the bed and grabbed his hand. "He loved us, Jeremy. He would be proud of you."

Jeremy smiled "Thanks, Elena. He would be proud of you, too."

It was the first time in years she and Jeremy had talked about their father. It was always a sore subject in their house, Miranda never wanting to discuss it or allowing them to ask questions.

x x x

After the talk with Miranda, Elena still had a thousand questions, but at least Jeremy was willing to talk to her about their father.

She showered and got ready for bed, but she checked her email and saw one from Damon. Her heart began racing as she clicked on it.

To: egilbert

From: dsalvatore

Subject: Employee Conduct

 _Miss Gilbert,_

 _Don't think I didn't notice that you were almost an hour late for work today. Surely, you do not intend to make this a habit, as I will have no choice but to fire you._

 _Mr Salvatore_

 _P.S. I hope you don't have the habit of leaving a man's bed without a word. But next time, I will remind myself to be more alert._

Elena responded immediately.

To: dsalvatore

From: egilbert

Subject: Re: Employee Conduct

 _Mr Salvatore,_

 _I am fully aware that I was almost an hour late to work today. I am also aware that HR received notice of my aforementioned tardiness last week as I knew I had a morning appointment scheduled for today a while ago._

 _Miss Gilbert_

 _P.S. It is none of your business whether I like leaving a man in his bed without words. However, your assumption that there will be a "next time" between the two of us—after today—is rather laughable._

Elena lied about her morning appointment, but Damon didn't have to know that. And after today, she was not so sure things between them should carry on. She thought of the way she had responded to him in bed, and bright colour ran up her cheeks. She had been awed by the fact that Damon seemed to know all the right places to touch her, all the right things to whisper to her, in order to drive her into a frenzy of defenceless desire.

To: egilbert

From: dsalvatore

Subject: Re: Re: Employee Conduct

 _Miss Gilbert,_

 _It is good to know that you're capable of contacting HR about your tardiness in advance, but last time I checked being late still means "being late."_

 _Make sure it doesn't happen again._

 _Mr Salvatore_

 _P.S. Don't lie to me! We couldn't get enough of each other in that bed, and you damned well know it! And yes, I did say "next time," because it is not an assumption. It is a fact._

x x x

Elena spent the next half of the week in a haze. As desperately as she wanted answers for her father, she was coming up empty. If she was going to find anything, it would be in the company database. But that was not going to be an easy task.

Unknown: Be ready by 7PM Friday.

Elena: And this is?

Unknown: Hilton Hotel

Elena: Who is this?

Unknown: Don't be late. I hate waiting.

Elena went still. It was Damon.

She didn't know whether to be giddy or pissed off. She knew she had given him reasons to doubt her, but now he was just acting like a cold and distant asshole

Elena: I have plans.

Damon: Cancel them.

Elena: No.

Damon: You will.

Elena: I'm not staying at a hotel with you.

Damon: No one said anything about staying over.

Elena: You are impossible. At least tell me what I'm supposed to wear.

Damon: Preferably nothing. But since this is a public affair, I suggest something elegant.

Elena: I don't appreciate being told what to do with no clue as to what is going on.

Damon: I don't appreciate being deceived, Elena.

Damon was infuriating. Clearly, he was not going to give that up. It looked like she had to put the digging around on hold until she had gained his trust back.

Elena: Fine. 7PM.

Damon: Friday. Be on time.

She leaned back on her bed, sighing. How was she going to get out of this without blowing her cover?

She was completely in over her head with Damon. As much as she wanted to fight the attraction, it was obvious she couldn't. She was downright terrified of her feelings for him.

She had a voracious physical appetite for him. She looked forward to his kisses and their hungry love-making. She had never felt more alive than when she was with him, nor more confused when she wasn't. He was the most intriguing man she had ever met. He was passionate and perplexing. His lovemaking was frightening in its intensity.

And there was no doubt Damon wanted her. Knowing he craved her as much as she craved him, she would use that angle into getting what she needed.

Elena was wearing one of her favourite dresses—a dark purple sequin cocktail dress that lays mid-thigh with dark black stockings. She had to refocus on her main mission here. If Damon was going to use her lies against her, she was going to use his lust for her against him. It only seemed fair.

She arrived at 6:54 PM and handed her keys over to the valet. She had no idea what she was doing here, but she was ready for anything Damon threw her way as long as she could accomplish her mission.

"Good evening, Miss Gilbert." Elena heard Damon's deep voice behind her before she even entered the hotel. She turned around and gasped as she took in his crisp black tuxedo. His hair was gelled back and he looked sexy like hell.

His hands were shoved in his pockets as he eyed Elena's outfit. He gave her a nod of approval before closing the gap between them.

"You look exquisite." Damon placed a hand on her lower back as he leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek.

"Thank you," Elena said softly. "You look handsome."

"All part of the job," he said matter-of-factly. "Let's go in."

Elena swallowed as Damon wrapped his hand around her waist and guided her inside. She still had no clue what they were doing here, but she went with it for now.

She had never been inside the Hilton before, but it was everything she had imagined a five-star hotel to look like—bright lights, exceptional details on the walls, modern furniture too immaculate it didn't even look used. And that was just the lobby.

Damon guided her to the elevator and hit the twenty-fourth floor button.

Elena looked at him. "You mind telling me what we are doing?"

He pressed her into the wall, his hips firm against hers as he nuzzled his nose into her neck. She inhaled his clean scent mixed with his cologne. Her body moulded into him but before she could react, he responded, "Just go with it." He kissed her cheek tenderly before the elevator opened.

He guided her out into a large ballroom. The lights were dim, but Elena could still see every intimate detail.

"Wow…" she gasped, taking it all in. "This is beautiful."

"Come." Damon grabbed her hand and led her further inside.

The ballroom was surrounded with people—mostly middle-aged people, but Elena did spot a few younger couples.

"Good evening, Mr Salvatore," Elena heard several men say to Damon as they passed by. He stopped for a second to nod and greet them back, but never long enough for introductions.

"Would you like a drink?" Damon leaned in and asked.

"Sure."

He grabbed a server's attention with champagne glasses on a tray and grabbed two of them.

He handed her one and said, "I hope you like champagne."

Elena grabbed the glass and took a sip as she looked around and tried to figure out what kind of event they were attending.

"Damon!" She heard a woman's voice echoed across the room. She and Damon spun around to an older woman flailing her arms at them.

Damon leaned in and pressed his lips against her ear. "Play along."

"Darling, you made it!" The woman wrapped her arms around Damon and he returned the gesture.

"Of course, Mum." He politely kissed the woman's cheek, and Elena wondered how this man next to her could have so many different sides.

"You look fantastic. Perfect."

"Thank you," he replied embarrassed. "Can I introduce you to someone?"

"Oh, yes!" The woman's eyes lit up excitedly.

Elena swallowed hard as they both turned towards her. Damon placed a hand on Elena's lower back. "Mum, this is Emily. My date."

Elena's eyes widened as her lips curved up into a surprised grin. Emily? Seriously?

Damon's mother immediately took Elena's hand. "Emily, darling. A pleasure. Call me Lillian."

Elena smiled back at her. "Likewise, Mrs Salvatore."

The resemblance between Damon and Lillian Salvatore was unmistakable. Same dark brown, almost black hair, same high cheek bones, Elena thought. Lillian Salvatore was indeed a very beautiful woman.

"She is stunning, Damon. Just stunning," Lillian gushed as if Elena was not standing right there.

"I agree." His lips curved into a small grin.

"Your father is around here somewhere. Do you want me to go find him quick?"

"Not necessary, Mum. I will run into him later."

Lillian began smoothing his tuxedo, brushing away invisible dirt off his chest and shoulders.

"Stop being nervous. It is going to be fine," Damon said calmly, grabbing his mother's wrists and pulling them down. "My speech is ready."

Lillian breathed a sigh of relief and said a quick goodbye before turning on her heel to find her husband.

Elena flashed a knowing grin as Damon turned towards her. "What?"

"Just taking in what a hypocrite looks like."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not a hypocrite."

She smirked. "You have been punishing me for lying to you. You just lied to your own mother…"

Damon looked amused by her stern voice. He leaned in close, looking around them closely to make sure no one could overhear them. "Would you rather I inform her that I'm sleeping with my intern instead?"

"Then why even bring me?"

"Because you look good on my arm," Damon teased. "Because you want to learn. What better way to learn about a company than attending its recognition ceremony."

"Well, you could have told me."

"And where is the fun in that?" He cocked his head and smirked at her. "Come on. We need to take our seats."

They ran into more people before sitting down. Elena felt a dozen set of eyes on her the entire time. She tried to not let the nerves got to her, but she had no idea what was going on and that made her even more anxious.

Eventually, they were all seated and all their eyes were facing the front where an older man was giving an introduction speech. Elena tried to keep up with what he was saying, but the paranoia of being here distracted her.

She looked around and noticed Lillian sitting in the front with Mr Salvatore. She was squeezing his arm tight with a wide smile on her face. She was obviously very proud.

"And now, to present the award we are all here for tonight." The gentleman on stage began speaking.

Damon leaned over and whispered, "That is Mr Fell, Chairman of the Business Board."

"Salvatore Enterprises—not only do they have the highest record of most solved cases in investigating and reporting, but also hold the highest in charitable contributors throughout the state of Virginia. They are being recognized for both tonight, but I must add—they are the strongest team of investigative reporters Virginia has ever seen. And that is why they are receiving the Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Award six years in a row!"

The room echoed in applause as Mr Fell held up the clear, scripted award. Damon's father took the stage, shaking hands with him. Everyone stood up as Mr Salvatore took the podium. Elena watched Damon as his face beamed with pride. His eyes were locked on his father as his father set the award down to showcase.

It was a different side of Damon—watching him watched his father like that. His facial features softened as his eyes locked on his father.

Elena actually like this side of Damon. A lot.

After Mr Salvatore gave his speech, Damon rose and took the stage. Watching him talked about how proud he was of his father warmed her heart. The way he praised his father for a strong upbringing, being a powerhouse CEO, and intense work ethic made Elena realize how proud Damon was of his father's company. Blood, sweat, and tears went into running Salvatore Enterprises—failure and accomplishments all a part of the journey to get where they were today. His speech was heartfelt, and she could not believe she was even here tonight to witness it all.

But she was here.

* * *

 **Sorry for the wait...hopefully you will enjoy this update:)**


	13. Chapter 13

"Stay with me tonight," Damon whispered as he and Elena approached the valet.

"I can't."

"Yes, you can."

Elena turned towards him and eyed him cautiously. "If I'm late to my internship again, my boss is going to fire me."

He smirked "Sounds like an asshole."

She grinned. "He very much can be."

He closed the gap between them and softly kissed her lips. It was not rushed or eager, it was sensual and sweet. "I guess he has a lot of making up to do."

They made the fifteen-minute trip in complete silence. By the time Elena entered Damon's apartment, the atmosphere was vibrating with heat and desire.

"Thank you for coming with me tonight."

"I wasn't left a choice," Elena said casually as she sat on the couch. "But…I'm glad I did. It was definitely an experience."

Damon sat across from her, twirling his drink around in one hand as he watched her intently. All the doubt flooding in his mind and the answers to the questions still not settling with him were both reasons why he shouldn't be with her right now.

But his body didn't agree. It ached for Elena. Craved to touch every inch of her. There was just something about her, and he just can't seem to get enough.

"Are you hungry?" Damon finally asked. "Surely, that salad didn't fill you up."

Her eyebrows raised. "Are you offering to cook for me?"

"Got any better idea?"

Elena contemplated that for a moment. Then she smiled. "Okay. I don't mind having something to eat."

He stood up and held his hand out for her to grab. Elena let him pull her up and led her into the kitchen.

Damon smiled back at her as he opened the refrigerator. "Well, I can cook pasta. So as long as you eat pasta…"

She laughed. She actually liked the fact that Damon was willing to cook for her. "Yes, I eat pasta."

Elena propped herself up on the counter as Damon gathered the pots and ingredients. Being alone with Elena without the distraction of work or other people around felt natural. Damon still felt like he was fighting all the emotions unravelling through him, but he knew he didn't want to anymore.

"I think my mum likes you."

"She only met me for a few moments."

"Trust me." Damon grinned. "She does." He placed the cover on top of the pan as he waited for the pasta to boil.

"She won't once she finds out I'm her doting son's weekend intern," she mocked. "Or that my name isn't Emily." She laughed.

He laughed as well. "I think she will get over that. At least the name part."

"Well, at least she has a nice impression of Emily."

Damon walked over to her, settling himself in between her legs. He cupped her face in his hands and dipped his mouth down to hers, softly grazing her lips.

"What if I said you could introduce me to your mother as someone else?"

Elena swallowed and responded, "Anything would be better than introducing you as my boss, Mr Salvatore…so, how about Tom, my conquest?"

Damon made a face. "Tom? I don't like the name."

"Don't worry. I'm really not introducing you to my mother."

"All right…" Damon began, unable to take his eyes off her. "So, no meeting the parents."

"Just my mother, actually," Elena blurted out. Her eyes immediately locked on his. "Since my dad left," she clarified. Damon saw the hurt in her eyes, and he knew she didn't want to talk about it.

He placed a few soft kisses on her neck and her head fell back on contact. He gasped as his lips felt a large scar over her right shoulder. He brushed a finger over it, silently questioning where it came from.

"You have a scar." Damon gently laid a kiss over it. Elena inhaled as he feathered kisses around the mark. "What happened?" he finally asked, needing to know. How did she injure herself? How come he didn't notice it that night? He must have been so lost in her that he hadn't paid notice.

She shrugged. "Car accident when I was younger. A piece of glass got stuck in my shoulder."

"It must hurt like hell," he whispered as his lips brushed up her neck and slowly to her ear.

Elena was trying hard to control herself. She knew she should be keeping Damon at a distance, yet her body constantly betrayed her. The way he expressed himself to her showed her how badly he wanted her, scared the hell out of her.

After tonight, Elena felt even worse about lying to him. The last thing she wanted to do was getting his company in any legal trouble, but she didn't know how to walk away anymore—her chances of getting the information she needed would never happen if she had walked away.

Her heart bled in remorse because she knew she was deceiving him—every part of her screamed to just tell him the truth and beg him to forgive her, yet her heart was fighting to protect him. She would be crushed if Damon had to let go of her completely, but he would be devastated by the secrets and lies.

Her stomach growled as Damon presses a small kiss on the corner of her mouth.

"You are hungry," he said against her mouth.

"I'm starving. Are you going to feed me now?"

He grinned as he went back to check on the pasta. "Absolutely."

Ten minutes later, their meal was ready. Elena narrowed her eyes at Damon as she watched him set up the table.

"What?" he asked.

"You are setting the mood."

"And?"

"I didn't peg you for a candlelight dinner type of guy, that's all." Elena grinned sheepishly. "It is very…un-Damon."

He looked amused. "Un-Damon?"

She nodded. "Yes, very un-Damon."

He laughed. "I know girls watch chick flicks…you all secretly want to be wooed."

Elena shook her head at him, grinning. Not only was he trying extremely hard, but he was also letting his guard down around her—letting her in to see the type of man he could be.

Her heart raced as she realized Damon was doing this for her…thinking that it was what she needed. The sex, chemistry, connection—it was all amazing and there was no denying that, but now this was crossing over into relationship territory.

"What is your favourite movie?" she asked, swirling her fork around in the pasta.

"Dirty Dancing."

"That was an old movie…" she rambled off as she took a bite.

"Patrick Swayze had done a very nice job in Dirty Dancing," he said as he took a sip of water. "What about you?"

"50 First Dates. It has a mixture of romance and comedy. Plus, it is sweet the way he fights for her." Elena smiled down at her food, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. "Every girl wants to be fought for," she said softly.

"I haven't seen that one," Damon admitted.

She dropped her fork dramatically. "Are you dead? It is Adam Sandler!"

He laughed at her melodramatic tone. "Sorry, I'm not a high school girl who sits in her room all weekend watching chick flicks. Hell, I didn't even do that with girls when I was in high school."

"Why not?" she asked, looking innocent and bewildered.

"Why!" Damon sputtered, laughing. "Because it is so un-Damon."

Elena didn't know whether to laugh or to mock at Damon.

"Do you want to watch a movie tonight? I have quite a few movies in the cabinet."

Elena smiled. "Sure."

x x x

Carrying a bowl of popcorn, Damon headed into the living room, where they had been watching movie. He had chosen a movie he was almost certain Elena would like and which she hadn't seen.

He glanced at the television set's giant-sized screen as he placed the popcorn bowl on the table. Elena looked up at him and said with a grin, "I love popcorn. Did you put salt on it?"

"Yep," he said.

"Butter, too, I hope?"

"It is swimming in it," he joked. "I will be right back with something to drink."

She smiled as he sat down beside her on the sofa with a bottle of beer in his hand.

"Want some popcorn?" she asked.

"No, thanks." He took a sip of his beer.

The movie began in earnest. Damon stretched his legs out in front of him, crossed his feet at the ankles, folded his arms over his chest, and looked like a man who was waiting to be displeased.

"We don't have to watch this," she said.

"I won't miss it."

They watched it in silence for the next ten minutes. Elena hadn't mind watching love scenes but somehow it felt uncomfortable watching a love scene with Damon beside her.

"What are you thinking?"

"What?" Elena asked with an indifference that completely belied the butterflies in her stomach at the sight of actor's hands on the blonde's body, his mouth on hers in a torrid kiss like the ones Damon had given Elena.

"You don't enjoy watching love scenes."

"Of course not," she informed him, watching the television set and refusing to look at him. "The acting is not bad."

"Yes, but do you think he did a good enough job with that kiss? I mean, he could have kissed her deeper or harder just then. She is hot."

The blonde on the screen was beautiful and talented with a gorgeous figure. Elena would have cut off a limb to look exactly like her, and she felt an absurd stab of jealousy that was harder to hide. "Yeah, she has a pretty face."

"She is not only pretty. She has a great figure."

Obviously, he did like watching beautiful women, Elena thought, and it hurt her even though she knew she had absolutely no right to feel that way.

"Jealous?"

"Jealousy is a destructive and immature emotion," she hedged.

"One that makes a person irrational and impossible to get along with," he agreed.

"Hmm."

Curving his arm around her shoulders, he drew her close and whispered his answer against her hair. "We can watch another movie or do something else."

Elena looked at him. "Do something else?"

"Yes," he murmured, sliding his lips to her temple. "I would prefer to be in bed with you than to watch a love scene in a movie."

Before she could respond to his words, Damon had seized her lips in a long kiss.

Damon rolled over to an empty space next to him. The smell of Elena was still potent in the air and sheets, the scent of their sweaty night still lingered in the room. He nuzzled his nose in the pillow on her side and inhaled deeply. God, he could never get enough of that. Of her.

He heard the shower running and knew she must be getting ready for work. Why was she so keen to go to work? They could spend the entire Saturday in his place. He swung his legs off the bed and grabbed his briefs that laid on the floor. He bit his lower lip devilishly as he thought of a better idea instead. He tossed his briefs back on the floor as he strutted out of the room and down the hallway towards the bathroom.

He slowly walked in and could see her shadow behind the glass door. Her body was pure perfection—curves in all the right places, soft, smooth skin, long, gorgeous hair. He found it hard to believe another man hadn't placed claim on her before him.

Damon tiptoed to the edge of the shower and slowly opened the door without disturbing her. Her head was fully under the spray of the water, her hands rinsing her long locks. He stepped in and slowly shut the door back just as her body jerked, but he wrapped his arm around her waist pressing her back against his chest. Elena gasped and jerked her head back until he brought his lips to her ear.

"Shh…baby, it is just me."

"Jesus, you scared the hell out of me."

Damon grinned against her neck and began pressing kisses against her wet flesh. One hand roamed free across her flat stomach as the other reached to cup her breast.

"Sorry about that…but I just couldn't resist touching you the moment I woke up." He pressed his hand harder against her stomach, forcing her body to press against his growing length that had come to life. He slid his hand down and rub a finger over her clit making small circles around her.

"Mm…" Elena moaned, her head falling back against his shoulder. "I'm going to be late for work."

He playfully nibbled her ear and kissed her under the lobe. "Is that a problem?" he teased.

She chuckled lightly. "My boss gets pissed when I'm late."

"He is an asshole, isn't he?"

"Didn't I tell you he is cruel and mean?"

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. He is bad…"

And with that, Damon spun her around so they were chest to chest and he pushed inside her as she gasped out a sharp moan.

"He is cruel and mean but you still like him," he said matter-of-factly.

Her body melted into his as she mumbled a groan of a response. Her hips rocked with him in rhythm as he pushed harder inside her, torturing her—owning her.

"Damon…"

His movements became harder and with each deep thrust, he felt her body contract against him. Seizing her mouth in a plundering kiss, he drove into her, forcing her faster and faster to the peak, driving her toward it, revelling in her muffled cry as she dug her nails into his back and began to shudder. Lifting her hips higher and tighter to him, he plunged harder, driven by some uncontrollable need to be as deep within her as possible when he came. He exploded inside her with a force that tore a low groan from him, and still he kept moving, as if she could somehow empty him of the bitterness of his past. The climax erupted in a jolt of sensation that screamed down his nerve endings, shook his entire body, and left him weak. Spent.

* * *

 **Thank you for the support and wonderful reviews. I'm glad my readers are enjoying this story as much as I do. Sorry for the delay in updating the chapters as I only got back from my trip. I will try to catch up with my writing in the next few days.**

 **Enjoy this chapter:)**


	14. Chapter 14

Elena's relationship with Damon progressed like this for weeks—comfortable banter, intense attraction, and spending more time together naked than clothed. The sneaking around at the office, weekend sleepovers, and texting continued despite the risks of being caught.

No matter how much they were together, it was never enough. Elena craved more of Damon—of them. Her heart and mind were fighting a battle—stop letting him get close, stop letting him in—but she didn't. She couldn't.

She knew she had broken down his walls and walked right into his heart. Something she tried to get a handle on, but she was afraid she was no longer in control.

Elena had gained little information and she was starting to wonder if it was worth it. Worth breaking Damon's heart, shattering her, and exposing who she really was.

She walked into his office and set another coffee on his desk. He was on a conference call, so she made sure to stay quiet. He mouthed, 'thank you' and continued his call. Her father's files were sitting on his desk. She knew she had to do something.

Damon was not looking at her. He was concentrating on the conference call. She quickly grabbed the files from his desk and walked out.

She had overheard his phone conversation with his father last night while they laid in bed. He thought she was passed out, but she wasn't. She had heard every word.

"I want to work on some old cases. I think it would be good for press."

Damon stayed quiet while his father spoke, but from the excitement in his voice, it was easy to assume his father agreed.

"I want to look into cases over five years old. Get some fresh eyes on them and see if I can follow up on anything. Imagine if a breakthrough exposes a case that was never solved. The press would go crazy. Not to mention, branching out would be next."

"Yeah, yeah." He listened to his father speak some more. "I'm going to start with the ones you personally worked on," he stated with amusement, "just to see if I can find anything."

He laughed with his father, obviously joking around with him, but Elena knew for a fact his father worked on her father's case.

This was her chance.

She slammed the files on her desk. She scattered them until she spotted the Gilbert, #178376 on a thick manila folder. Everything they used in her father's case was locked up in evidence, but this was a general run down of everything they found and how they had come up empty-handed. She peeked out of her office before tiptoeing to the transcripts room.

She tapped her foot anxiously as she photocopied everything. There were a good one hundred plus papers, but she was not leaving until every piece had been scanned.

After lunch, she placed the files back into his office all neatly organized. Damon had a lunch meeting downtown and told her to order something if she wanted.

She ate her Chinese takeout while reading over scripts of her father's case—trying to make sense out of anything that happened that day.

Damon was gone the majority of the afternoon. He had texted her several times apologizing for the delay and finally told her she could go home if she wanted. Considering there wasn't much for her to do without him, she left the building.

Elena started walking down the hall towards the elevator when one of the reporters stopped her.

"Hi."

"Um, hi."

"So, you are Mr Salvatore's weekend fling, huh?" He licked his lips, as his eyes looked her up and down. Elena shuddered with disgust.

"I'm his intern, Elena. Who are you?" she scowled.

"Oh, my apologies." He put a hand to his chest, pretending to act sincere. "I'm Mr Parker. You can call me Kai." He continued eyeing her. "I just wanted to meet you."

"Great. Well, now that you have, I need to get going."

He looked at his watch, confused. "It is not five 'o clock yet. I believe that is when you are allowed to leave."

"Actually, Damon is running late from a lunch meeting and said I could leave."

"Damon?" His eyebrows rose in suspicion.

Elena cleared her throat quickly. "Mr Salvatore." She swallowed as Kai flashed a cocky grin. He was a complete creep.

"Do we have another Katherine on our hands?"

Elena raised her eyebrows in question. "Who?"

"Oh, Damon hasn't told you?" Kai asked, amused.

"Clearly, he hasn't if I just asked who she was," Elena snapped back. "Excuse me, you are in my way." She tried to walk around him, but Kai stepped in front of her again.

"She almost took this entire company down. Piece by piece, she dug her greedy little fingers into Damon and stole insider information. The moment she went public with it, it almost ruined us for good. Not to mention what it did to Damon."

Elena's eyes glazed over at Kai's words. She had no idea. Of course, how would she? Damon had never told her. She had never asked about his previous girlfriends. She only knew about his modelling career based off the search she did beforehand.

"Well…thanks for the info. I'm not sure why you felt the need to tell me, but now I'm really leaving."

Anger—at herself—fuelled her power to push Kai hard enough and out of her way. He gasped and reached out for her, but she was already two feet ahead of him and fleeing to the elevator.

x x x

Damon checked his watch constantly as he sat in his lunch meeting that ran three hours over. He had normally scheduled his conferences for during the week, but Mr Walter flew in specifically for him.

He had invited Elena over that night. Although, he saw her that morning, he had already missed her—missed touching and kissing her. He hadn't ever missed a girl like that before. Never.

No matter how many times he had seen her, it was never enough. He wanted more. More of her. Everything inside him screamed to stop—stop letting her get close, stop letting her in.

But he didn't. He couldn't.

He had let her sledgehammered his thick walls, stepped over the debris, and got right under his skin. Something he swore she wouldn't do again after his life was almost destroyed before, but he didn't feel in control of it anymore. His heart had completely taken over, ignoring all the flashing red warning signs around him.

He and Elena had fallen into a comfortable routine—cooking dinner, foreplay, eating dinner, and ended up either on the living room floor, the shower, or in his bed.

Damon woke up the next morning with his arms and legs wrapped up in Elena. Her back was pressed against his chest and all he could think about was how breathtakingly beautiful she was. Her hair was spread wildly on the pillow and her bare skin glowed in the sunlight that was shining through the windows. Her face looked soft and pure as it relaxed against his arm that was wrapped under her. She looked absolutely…stunning.

Elena was an addiction he never knew he wanted, a feeling of never having enough, never touching enough, never smiling enough. She had made him that person. That love-sick puppy dog that craved her like his last meal. That person he swore he would never be—that person he never wanted to be.

Elena startled awake, and he instinctively wrapped her in closer to him, not wanting to let her go.

"Good morning." Damon kissed her shoulder softly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mm hmm," she moaned, squirming against him. "I don't even remember falling asleep…..."

He smiled lightly. "You passed out pretty quickly after—"

"Oh, my god…my body. My legs," she interrupted. "They feel like jelly."

He rubbed a hand up and down her arm. "Sorry about that." He grinned.

Elena turned around, not even self-conscious about the sheet falling off her exposed chest. "You are so not." She smirked.

"Well, you are very flexible, baby. Perhaps you just need more practice."

She slapped his chest and wrinkled her nose—the most adorable thing she did. "I don't think my body could handle more practice. I think it needs rest. And perhaps a massage." Her eyes lit up, signalling exactly what she wanted.

Damon leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. "I would love to, but I'm out of lotion."

She burst out laughing and it took Damon a moment to think about what was so funny.

"Oh, my god…no…not…stop laughing," he laughed with her. "That sounded really bad."

"Sorry," she apologized, continuing to laugh. "I hang out with really immature guys. It is not my fault I find that funny."

"Wait…you hang out with guys?" Damon narrowed his eyebrows at her, only teasing, but wanting to know the truth.

"Yes…is that a problem?" she countered.

He cupped her breast aggressively making her wince. "Not at all." He grinned. "As long as they are gay."

Damon shifted on top of her and kissed the corner of her mouth. She smiled weakly, keeping her eyes closed.

"You like that?"

"Yes."

"Oh, my god!" A high-pitched squeal made Damon rolled off from Elena. His eyes widened at the sight of his parents in his bedroom doorway.

He grabbed the sheet and quickly covered them up. Elena frantically pressed back against him shielding her naked body from his parents' eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Damon scolded. Elena covered her heated face with one hand, keeping her head down. Her cheeks heated as her eyes closed in humiliation.

"You never showed up for brunch," Lillian scowled. "We were worried about you when you didn't answer your phone."

"After the tenth time calling you," Giuseppe added in.

"Can you please give me a minute to get dressed? I will meet you in my office."

Lillian clenched her pearls as she flashed Damon a disapproving look. Giuseppe grabbed the door handle and pushed them both back into the hallway. Damon waited until the door clicked before finally exhaling.

"I am so sorry."

Elena uncovered her face finally. "Well, there is always a first time for everything. Getting caught by your parents." She swung her legs off the bed and began looking for her clothes.

"Are you angry?" Damon sat up and watched as she frantically searched for her clothes that he knew were lying on his living room floor.

"No, I'm just embarrassed."

"I know. And I'm so sorry. I should have remembered to call them and let them know I wasn't coming. I will go speak to them and ask them to leave. Okay?" He grabbed a pair of shorts and shirt from the closet. "Your clothes are in the living room, by the way." He kissed her gently on the forehead before heading out to deal with his parents.

Damon brushed a hand through his hair as he prepared for a lecture for missing Sunday brunch.

He closed the office door behind him as he leaned back against it. Both of his parents were standing and staring at him—practically glaring daggers in his direction.

"It's not what you think—"

"It is exactly what we think," Lillian huffed, cutting Damon off. "Is she another Katherine?"

"No! She isn't like that at all. She is not just a one-night stand," he defended. "You met her already," Damon reminded his mother.

"Yes, but after what happened last time, your dates don't usually last longer than one night."

"Thanks for making me sound like a bastard." Damon crossed his arms in disbelief. Most parents would approve of their son being in a relationship.

"We are still dealing with Katherine," Lillian reminded her son. "What did we tell you?"

"Lillian," Giuseppe warned, but she ignored him.

"Did you at least do a background check on her? Make sure she is not another one?"

"Oh, my god…" Damon groaned, brushing a firm hand through his hair. "Not every girl is going to be like Katherine. Elena is not like that."

"And how do you know, Damon? You need to be careful. You aren't just a typical guy—"

"Yes, I know." Damon rolled his eyes at the same lecture his mother had been giving him for two years. "She is an intern," he spitted out needing to get her off his case. "My intern."

Giuseppe's eyes widened. "Your intern?"

"Yes, but it's not like that," Damon said quickly.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing, Damon?" Giuseppe scowled. "Apparently you aren't ready, son, putting the company at risk. Not to mention breaking a hundred company rules."

"It's not like that," Damon said again more firmly. "She isn't Katherine. I have checked her out already. She attends the University of Virginia. She is a senior and is graduating this semester."

Lillian walked towards Damon and placed a hand on his cheek, her eyes finally went soft. "Just be careful, son."

Giuseppe followed suit and didn't even look Damon in the eye as Damon stepped out of the way for them to leave.

Damon exhaled as he heard his front door closing. Flustered, he paced the floor until he regulated his breathing. This couldn't have been worst timing.

"Elena?" he called out as he walked down the hallway back to his room. "They are gone now. It is safe to come out." But there was no respond. "Elena?"

Damon pushed his bedroom door open and looked around, but Elena wasn't in here. "Elena?" He called out again with fear laced in his voice.

He ran to the door and whipped it open to see that her car was gone.

She left.

* * *

 **Thank you for the support and kind reviews so far. I'm still trying to catch up with the writing so there will be delay in updating the chapters. Please be patient and keep watching the space:)**


	15. Chapter 15

Elena had overheard Lillian's words.

Katherine.

What did Katherine do? Did Damon love her? Who was she exactly? Answers Elena didn't deserve to know. Answers that would soon force her lies to crumble down around her.

She couldn't hurt Damon. Not after what he had already gone through. She didn't know anything about Katherine, but she knew enough from Kai and Lillian to know Katherine was bad news.

She couldn't be the next Katherine.

She couldn't hurt Damon.

She knew what she had to do.

She ignored every call and email from Damon. She knew she had to deal with her consequences soon. She knew Damon wouldn't just let it go. Let her go. But she had to convince him.

It was taking Elena days to read and dissect everything in her father's files. Although it was a summary of it all, she was reading it thoroughly, word by word. It was her only hope and chance.

Matt knocked on her door Friday afternoon with a suspicious grin and a grocery bag. Elena narrowed her eyes at him as he let himself in.

"Come in, Matt," she mocked. "What are you doing here?"

Matt eyed her carefully. "I have known you for years, Elena. Long enough to know when something is wrong. You have been off all week."

Elena tilted her body forward, chancing a glance inside his bag. "And you have brought me cookie dough and ice cream?"

"I'm not a chick," he retorted. She raised her eyebrows at him and he sighed in defeat. "But you are a chick, so of course, I brought you junk food."

Elena laughed. "I knew there was a reason I keep you around."

"Well, I'm kidnapping you. Pack a bag and meet me at the car."

"Wait, what?"

"We need to talk. I know there is something wrong."

"Fine," she groaned. "Meet you in five."

Matt let Elena dug into the cookie dough on the ride to his house. She had been sleeping over at Matt's house for years. His parents were super laid back, and Elena secretly thought they were hoping something would happen between Matt and her, but it was never going to happen. Matt was like a brother to her.

She had shoved the file in her bag before they left, because, at this point, she was out of options. Matt was extremely smart, so if there was anything to be deciphered from her father's case, Matt would be able to figure it out.

"Okay, girlfriend. I have sugared you up, gave you caffeine and ice cream, and even let you walk around in those hideous yoga pants. Time to spill."

Elena's spoon stopped mid-way to her mouth just as she was about to devour another spoonful. "Hideous?"

"Well, they aren't exactly attractive."

She shrugged, shoving a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. "Good thing I have turned lesbian. Girls dig yoga pants."

Matt rolled his eyes and laughed. "You couldn't be a lesbian if you tried."

Elena shrugged again. "Maybe things would be easier if I have turned lesbian."

"I know something is wrong with you. Now tell me everything, Elena."

For the next hour, she told Matt everything about her internship at Salvatore Enterprises. She had left Damon out of it, but she explained how she applied, interviewed and used Professor Tanner's recommendation letter to get inside. Matt was both impressed and worried about her, knowing the serious repercussions if she was to get caught.

"You are insane. Seriously."

Elena also described the dreams and flashbacks about her father. She told him everything she remembered about that day, and how her mother never seemed bothered that it ended up a cold case.

"Wow…that's intense, Elena."

She tilted her head towards him, silently begging him to understand her reasoning. "Matt, I need your help."

"You know I can't say no."

"I know."

She spread out some of the papers that she wanted Matt to take a closer look at—the evidence, the background history of her father's job, and her father's financials.

Matt narrowed his eyes. "What exactly are you hoping to do, Elena?"

Elena shrugged, feeling hopeless. "I just need to know, Matt. I know my mother is hiding secrets from me. She won't tell me anything. She hid that piece of paper about Jonas Martin on it. I need to know that my dad was a good person and that whoever did this gets the justice they deserve. I know I'm in over my head, okay. I'm not that crazy. But I can't just walk away. I have to at least try."

Hours went by and eventually, Elena fell asleep on Matt's bed. When she woke up, Matt had curled up on the other end with papers in his lap. She noticed the energy drink in one hand as he held a piece of paper in the other.

She glanced over to his clock on the dresser. It was after 4AM.

"You are still up?"

"Yeah," Matt said excitedly.

Elena adjusted herself on his bed, sitting upright. "Read anything good?"

"Elena…this is all good stuff. Like, I think I'm finally figuring it out."

She held her breath. "Figuring what out?"

"Your dad's finances—they are all over the place. One month he deposits thousands of dollars, the next he is in the negative. For someone with a steady job and salary, it doesn't add up."

"So, what's that mean?"

"Well, it explains why your mum and dad were fighting about money, why your mum was hysterical about the money he spent."

"Do you think it has something to do with his death? Like maybe he owed someone a lot of money and he couldn't pay them back?" Her heart was racing as she tried to put the pieces together.

"I don't know. Maybe. It is too soon to know for sure. There are a lot more in this file I have to go through yet."

"But what if it has something to do with money. I mean, we live in a nice neighbourhood, and always had nice things. We lived on one salary and yet never went without."

"Perhaps there is a reason for that." Matt looked at her sympathetically, silently telling her what she had feared this whole time—her father wasn't a good guy.

x x x

The last thing Damon was prepared for was Elena leaving him—again. He wasn't sure if she was upset about his parents coming in or if it was something else.

Having his parents brought up Katherine's name again stirred Damon's emotions up. It was not something he enjoyed thinking about.

The very girl who screwed him—over and over again. He had believed every word Katherine said to her, every word laced with lies and deceit.

He was fresh out of graduate school when he started working exclusively at Salvatore Enterprises. Saying goodbye to his modelling career, Giuseppe had slowly taught Damon things throughout his college years. It wasn't until he had his master's degree that his father finally gave him access to all the files and confidential information. Information news reporters and magazines would do anything to get their hands on during a big story.

Then Katherine Pierce appeared.

Twenty-two-year-old college graduate from Georgia. Education major with dreams of teaching first graders. She was sweet and sexy.

But she was also a big fat liar.

Her real identify was a twenty-five-year-old post-graduate student in journalism.

She made a fool of Damon He had let her in—too close. She stole all of his files and sold them to another company. They were later recognized for solving the case. Not only did they report on it for months after—his mistake constantly shoved in his face—but it almost ruined Salvatore Enterprises. New security measures were taken and the battle of taking Katherine to court began—still in the process of making her pay for all that, but more than likely, she would make a plea bargain.

It had been hard to let anyone in after that. Damon went back to one-nighters and emotionless sex—that was until he met Elena.

He cursed the second he had realized Elena had left. He texted her how sorry he was and begged her to come back and talk with him. He knew she was humiliated, but his parents were the last thing they needed to worry about right now. He didn't care what his parents' opinion was. He only wanted Elena.

He had called her thirty-six times in the past six days. No answer. He had emailed nine times. No response.

Nothing.

By Friday, Damon could barely take it. He didn't know if Elena would show up for her internship on Saturday. He didn't know if she would ever talk to him again, and he didn't know why she was avoiding him.

He was filled with so much rage, He didn't know if he would be able to stand seeing her without slamming her against his desk and kissing her until she came to her senses. He wouldn't even stop if his mother walked in.

He was agitated the entire day. He snapped at everyone who tried to speak to him.

He needed to see Elena. He couldn't wait another night. It was killing him. He didn't know what she was doing, what she must be thinking or who the hell she could be with.

He dug into Elena's intern application and found her home address. If she was going to insist on hiding from him, he was just going to have to find her.

After showering and getting dressed, Damon headed out. He anticipated Elena would be pissed, but he didn't care. He was not letting her walk away without giving him answers first.

He pulled up to her house and noticed it was in a nice neighbourhood, mainly filled with families and children. This wasn't where he had expected a college-aged student to live with a household of roommates.

And somehow, the neighbourhood looked very familiar. But he was sure he hadn't been here before.

He walked to the front and knocked firmly on the door. A few seconds later a young man opened the door.

"Good evening, I'm sorry to bother you—"

The young man frowned. "Who are you looking for?"

"Um, I'm looking for Elena Gilbert. Does she live here?"

"Elena?" The young man's eyebrows raised in question. "Sorry, she is not here."

Damon exhaled, disappointed. He shifted uncomfortably before asking, "Do you know where she is? Or when she will be back?"

"She is with Matt." The young man narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? And what do you want with my sister?"

"Your sister?"

"Yes, I'm her brother. I'm Jeremy. And you are…"

Damon cleared his throat. "I'm Damon. I'm…I'm her boss."

Jeremy's eyes widened. "Boss? My sister is working for you? What do you do?"

"Your sister is my intern. I'm from Salvatore Enterprises."

"Intern?" Jeremy looked surprised. "She hasn't told anyone she is working as an intern. What is she doing in your company?"

"Your sister wants to become a journalist and she is working for our company…"

"Oh, my God! She is crazy! She wants to investigate dad's case."

Damon froze. "Wait, hold on…what is going on?"

"She is crazy!" Jeremy growled. "Didn't she know it is illegal to investigate dad's case like this? She could go to jail!"

Damon couldn't control the emotions flooding in as he took in what he had just learned.

Elena was using him to investigate her father's case.

Lillian's words reluctantly re-entered his mind… _Make sure she isn't another Katherine._

Damn.


	16. Chapter 16

_Make sure she isn't another Katherine._

Why did his mother have to be right? Right about her. Elena.

Emotions flooded Damon's mind the moment he got back behind the wheel. Hearing what her brother said was like a knife slicing right down his spine. Rage, lust, and confusion all rippled through him.

How? Why…

So many questions, but no answers.

Damon slammed his fourth shot and sat back in his office chair as he thought about how to deal with this situation. How did this become his life? How did he let one woman consume him so much that he had missed what was right in front of him?

Gilbert.

He should have known.

Damon flipped the file in front of him: Gilbert, #178376.

Grayson Gilbert (36). Male. Insurance broker.

Husband to Miranda Gilbert.

Father to Elena (11) and Jeremy (8).

Elena Gilbert.

Daughter of Grayson Gilbert.

How did Damon miss this? Elena had consumed him. Took every rational thought and made him give her the benefit of the doubt.

He cursed and slammed another shot as he read over Giuseppe's old case notes. He hadn't looked into this case before. It was filed under cold cases long before he had arrived. But knowing what it did to his father at the time, Damon thought if he could come up with any new information, his father would be proud. Or at least it would give him some closure on the whole thing.

Case notes in the file that had been sitting on his desk when Elena was here last week. Wasn't it obvious? She got what she wanted and bailed.

Damon was onto her little scheme.

He was not about to let her win. Not again. Not like Katherine.

He was still hung over by the time he arrived to work early Saturday morning. But it didn't matter. He wouldn't be here long today. Just long enough to watch Elena leave.

Or rather…escorted.

"Erika, I need security on standby." Damon beeped through to his assistant who was just down the hallway. "Please let me know when Miss Gilbert arrives."

"Of course, Mr Salvatore."

Damon was not only pissed off. He was raging with steam coming out of both ears. He had cracked his knuckles so many times, they had turned white. His face felt flush and his whole body was heated with anger. He didn't think he had ever been this mad before in his entire life—not when his father told him to quit modelling, not when Katherine dug her dirty, scheming little fingers under his skin, and not even when some drunken drivers drove into his brand-new Porsche. Nope.

"She is walking in, sir."

"Thank you. Have security ready in exactly five minutes."

Show time.

"Good morning, Mr Salvatore." Elena walked in with a bright, wide smile holding Damon's bold, dark coffee. She was dressed in a white pencil skirt and navy blue top. Her hair was wildly wrapped into a top bun. She looked more dishevelled than she had ever been.

"Rough night?" Damon raised an eyebrow, eyeing over her outfit.

"Just woke up late. My apologies. My alarm didn't go off." She set the coffee down in front of Damon and stepped back, her hands lying flat in front of her as she waited for her itinerary.

He should make her do something awful, something mind-numbingly degrading—the same way she had made him feel. She had degraded his entire company, treated it as a playground for her to use as she pleases.

"I guess that's what happens when you stay at someone else's house the night before you have to be to work the next morning." Damon grabbed his coffee and brought it to his lips. He noticed her shocked expression as she took in his words.

"What are you talking about?" Elena swallowed hard, trying to remain calm.

"Matt, is it? That's where you were last night," Damon said matter-of-factly.

Elena narrowed her eyes. "Are you stalking me now? You have no right—"

Damon raised his hand, cutting her off. He stood up and quickly rounded his desk. Elena stared at him intently as he walked behind her. He pressed her back to his chest, gripping her shoulders and securing her in place.

He lowered his lips and whispered against her ear, "You are just like the rest." He kept his hold on her, feeling her body shivered against him. He rubbed both hands down her arms and gripped her wrists. "It is a shame."

"Damon, please. You are freaking me out," she pleaded, her chest pumping up and down. "What are you talking about?"

Damon spun her body around so they were facing each other. He cupped her jaw firmly in his hand and gripped her hip firmly with his other hand.

He lowered his face to hers, just grazing her lips. Her breath hitched.

"You are a goddamn liar." He clenched his hand around her hip tighter. "At least I found out now before you took my company to the cleaners."

"I-Is this about last week—"

"You are so beautiful." His eyes dropped to her lips and his hand slid up her arm, curving around her nape. "So beautiful…" he whispered huskily. "You always were so damned beautiful…"

Stunned into blank immobility by his words and the husky timbre of his voice, Elena stared at him, not certain what he was thinking. "So beautiful," he repeated, his hand tightening on her nape, "and such a liar!" Before she could summon a coherent thought, his mouth swooped down, seizing hers in a kiss of ruthless sensuality, grinding her lips apart. His fingers shoved into her hair and twisted, forcing her head back and holding her captive as his tongue drove insolently into her mouth.

Frantic to stop him, to make him listen before it was too late, Elena struggled and finally managed to tear her mouth from his. "Damon, what is wrong? You are scaring me!"

"I know who you are, Elena Gilbert."

Elena gasped loudly, taking a step backward. Her eyes widened as disbelief flushed through her face.

"Damn you, you are such a liar!" he yelled, making her jump.

"Damon, I can explain."

"I don't need an explanation, Elena. It is pretty clear, don't you think?" he asked sardonically. He turned away so he was no longer facing her. The longer he looked at her, the more pissed off he got. "You have been lying since the moment you walked in here. You used me to get what you wanted and now that you have it, you were planning to throw me out like yesterday's garbage."

"No, it was never about—"

Her pleading voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Damon couldn't stand it. No more lies.

"Goddamn liar," he growled. "You are Grayson Gilbert's daughter."

Tears began falling down her cheeks. She was upset she had been caught, but perhaps more upset about losing him. Losing them? It didn't matter anymore—this was unforgivable.

Damon took a deep breath as he saw the two security guards at the door behind her. "Let's make this quick and painless, shall we?" Her face tilted up, her watery eyes looking up at him was pitiful. "Elena Gilbert, you are fired. Get the hell out of my office."

"Wait, what?" Elena frantically looked around, noticing the guards before screaming, "No!" Both guards grabbed an arm and started pulling her to the door. "Damon, you have to let me explain! Please!"

"The police will be in contact, Miss Gilbert. I wouldn't go far."

"Please, no! I swear I will tell you everything!" She began kicking as the guards exited Damon's office and shut the door behind them. He could hear her screaming and fighting them all the way down the hall.

He had turned off every emotional outlet inside—or at least the alcohol was assisting in making sure it stayed that way. That was what got him in this problem in the first place. He couldn't let that control his actions anymore.

Now was damage control.

Damon needed to figure out what information Elena got away with. What information she got from her father's case and anything else she found while scanning in transcripts.

Damon knew Giuseppe was going to kill him.

Not a tinge of guilt rippled through his body as he imagined the guards kicking her off Salvatore Enterprises property. He only wished he could have witnessed it himself. The look on her face when he revealed her identity was priceless. She knew her lies were now exposed.

Damon grabbed the Gilbert file and packed it into his briefcase. He needed to examine everything before the press got hold of anything. Either Elena had a buyer on standby already or it was for her own personal investigation—either way, charges would be made.

"How the hell did this happen? What were you thinking? Have you lost your damn mind?" Giuseppe had been screaming at Damon for the last twenty minutes.

He had surrendered to his father's screaming match. Basically, his father had been yelling to hear himself yell by this time. Damon wasn't even fighting back. There was nothing he could say to defend himself.

"Giuseppe!" Lillian interrupted, breaking Giuseppe out of his rage. "That's enough."

Damon sighed. "It is fine, Mum. Let him get it out."

"Is that what this is to you? A little game that's just going to go away?"

"No, not at all. I'm going to do everything in my power to keep anything from being leaked. I'm already on it. You don't need to worry. I don't think she was looking to sell anything. She is Grayson Gilbert's daughter. She wanted information for herself or her family. I don't know for sure, but I'm on alert."

"You better be. This could cost you big time."

"That's enough now." Lillian grabbed Giuseppe's arm and forced his body to jerk towards her. "Yelling at him isn't going to change anything now."

"Perhaps you are in the wrong business, son," Giuseppe muttered just before Lillian dragged him towards the door.

"Perhaps you are right," Damon mumbled.

"Don't be silly," Lillian said. "I know you can do this job, son. You just have to trust your gut instinct."

Gut instinct?

Damon didn't know whether he should ever trust himself anymore.

* * *

 **Sorry for the delay in updating the chapters as I'm still trying to catch up with my writing...**

 **Thank you again for the support and kind reviews. I'm glad my readers are still enjoying my Delena stories:) Sometimes it makes me nervous whether my Delena stories are interesting enough to keep my readers happy...esp when there are so many amazing writers out here! Anyway, I will try my best to write Delena stories. Keep watching the space...**


	17. Chapter 17

Elena knew she deserved everything Damon was handing to her right now, but it still hurt. The look on his face—empty and distant—made her wanted to run up to him and beg him to give her another chance. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and reminded him of what they had—how they felt for each other. She wanted to go back in time and fixed this.

But she couldn't.

And truthfully, Elena was not even sure she would. She came in with the intention of finding information out on her father, and although she was able to get his file, she was not sure it was going to help her much, but she had to at least try. She couldn't let the opportunity pass without at least knowing she did what she could.

She sat inside her car and sobbed. She cried for the pain she had caused Damon, for the lies and secrets she had held, and for the loss of him. She cried because she was going to miss him and there was nothing she could do to win him back. She knew that what she had done was inexcusable.

Elena didn't even know what Damon knew, or how he knew it, but it didn't matter anymore. It was only a matter of time. Had she not ignored him all week, perhaps he wouldn't have found out, but the truth would have came out eventually. It was just a matter of time before the bomb went off.

She realized this.

She should have known better. But the way she felt for him…falling for him, clouded all her better judgment.

Damon was the first guy she had ever connected to, the first guy she had ever really given herself all to—the first one she wanted to be around, to have more.

She felt completely helpless. Everything taken from her at once, everything she never deserved in the first place. She wished she could feel sorry for herself and cry about how unfair it was, but she couldn't. And rationally, she knew this wasn't unfair. It was everything deserved.

She drove home in a haze, still in shock and filled with questions of what Damon knew or how he found out. Answers she would never find out, but that didn't stop her from wanting to know. Her father's file was completely confusing to her, but at least it would answer some of her questions.

Elena called Matt after breakfast the next day and told him to meet her at the coffee house. Her father's file was still her only hope and the sooner she could get through the rest, the better.

"Jesus, Elena. How many days are you planning to stay up?" Matt asked, eyeing Elena's quad shot caramel latté.

"Trust me, I need it." Elena yawned, taking a seat next to him. "You will, too."

Matt rolled his eyes dramatically at her. "What would you do without me?"

"Uh, drink my coffee in peace."

"You are so lucky I deal with your shit because you are my friend."

"I know." Elena smiled weakly at him, secretly thanking him for it. "Now, last time you mentioned something about my dad's finances. I want to go through and see if there is any mention about a lock box, security box, or something like that. Anything that would connect to the note I found in my mum's room." Matt gave her a disapproving look as she sipped her coffee. "What?"

"You are getting your hopes up."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are." Matt shifted his chair closer to her. "Don't you think if the police knew about any lock box, they would be the first ones in it? And if they knew, your mum would have no reason to hide the code?"

Elena exhaled and thought about what Matt had said. He did have a point. "Okay, you are probably right. So, you think he hid money in there? I mean since his accounts were never consistent."

"It is possible. But maybe your mum doesn't even know. If she did, she wouldn't keep the code. Or need to hide it. I doubt she even knows what is in there."

"So why would you keep a code of a secret lock box for seven years and never try to find it?"

"Maybe she is waiting for something. Like a certain time."

"It just doesn't make sense. Maybe she knew about it? Or maybe she found the paperwork for it and burned it but wrote down the code so she wouldn't forget?" She sat anxiously, tapping her foot. "Ah, this is so infuriating. Why can't she just freaking tell me? Why does she act like everything is so dangerous when I question her?"

"Maybe she is keeping it a secret for a reason, Elena. Maybe there are secrets she can't tell you, and she wants to protect you. Maybe you should just let her," Matt said sincerely, but cringed as he took in her expression.

"I think I deserve to know. I almost died that day too, or well, I could have had a bullet hit me in the neck or something. And this person is just walking around the Earth as if he didn't kill my father. It is just not fair."

"Of course, it is not fair. Nothing about this is fair."

"If I could just find something that brings me closer to him, something that tells me my dad died as a good person, maybe I would be satisfied enough. But right now, there are just too many unanswered questions. It drives me insane. Every day, Matt, every day. I wake up with a million questions. I wake up wondering why I didn't get to keep my dad, why I was chosen to lose him, why he was chosen to die. They are questions I can't get out of my head. How am I just supposed to walk away from that? How do you continue to live without trying to do anything possible to find the answers to those questions?" she rambled without looking him in the eyes. It was painful letting everything out, but she felt safe with Matt. She felt comfortable enough to cry in front of him.

Tears slowly fell down her face and rolled off her cheeks, hitting the table below her. She wiped them off before Matt could see, but she knew he had noticed.

"Elena…come on, let's read through the rest." He shifted his chair directly next to her, opening up the file in front of them.

x x x

Damon paced his office until the darkness had consumed him. The cleaning crew had been in already and turned the lights off when he was pacing the hallway. Once he came back in, he had never bothered to turn them back on.

What was the point?

A full week had gone by without seeing or talking to Elena. Not that he had expected to see or talk to her, but part of him—a messed up part—was hoping she would at least try to contact him via email or text message.

Damon had never planned to call the cops. Even his father wouldn't because the press would get a hold of that and run with it—it would be bad publicity on Salvatore Enterprises.

The city lights shone through the window giving Damon just enough light to walk the length of his office. He didn't know what else to do or how he was supposed to handle this. From the file alone, there wasn't anything remotely intriguing enough to sell—if that were Elena's intent. Something inside him knew it wasn't. Elena was just a little girl that lost her father and wanted answers. Perhaps that was what's worse—knowing she came in with the intention of stealing information for her own gain. She already had the internship—she wouldn't need to sleep with him to get anything else, but that sure didn't simmer the anger. All the unknown, all the rage building up inside him—makes it impossible to let it go knowing she was willing to risk his company's reputation for her own gain.

He hadn't slept since last weekend. And even when he did, it was her that he saw. Her face, her laughing, her perfect curves pressed up against his—everything about her was ingrained into his brain.

Damon grabbed his keys and bolted out of the office. He needed to keep himself busy. He needed to be productive in something.

He decided to hit the gym and run off some steam. There just so happened to be a kickboxing class starting. Maybe it would be good for him.

That class was mixed with both guys and women. It was a beginners' class, but Damon was pretty sure he could kick everything out of the bag.

"Welcome, class. My name is Rose. I'm going to go through some basic moves and then we can get into a routine."

Rose ran through techniques and stances before they really got into it. It was actually fun, and Damon found himself enjoying it. He kicked and punched with everything he had, taking everything out on the bag.

She began clapping to gain their attention and said, "Great job, class! You all did wonderfully! If anyone is interested, I'm teaching two classes a week—this one and a more advanced one. Feel free to stop in if you are feeling brave." She winked and clapped again, applauding them for how well they did.

Damon walked up to rose once the crowd left and told her thanks for a great class.

"You did great," Rose beamed.

"What day is your other class? I might stop in."

"Wednesday nights." Rose looked at him up and down. "You should stop in. You can stay in the back if you are not quite up to the level."

"Sure." He smiled back. "Sounds great. Thanks." He waved as he left, and for the first time all week, he felt as if he had something to look forward to doing. Working out during his modelling days was part of the job, but now it would be for fun. Something to get his mind back on track.

"Well, you look like you are in a better mood finally," Erika commented as Damon walked in Monday morning.

"Don't let looks deceive you," Damon snapped as he walked past her. He felt great Saturday night after boxing class—re-energized. But Sunday morning, after spending the morning with his parents at brunch just reminded him of Elena.

He had barely finished his coffee and got through his emails before Klaus popped his head in.

"Dude, Senator Whitmore, breaking news. Conference Room. Now."

Damon jumped up from his chair and followed Klaus down the hall. They had been following the story for weeks now with his wife's embezzlement scam.

"Who's on PR?" Damon asked as soon as he walked in.

Enzo sat taller as he heard Damon's voice. "I am. Waiting on a return comment."

"Who is getting ready to write the report?"

"I am, sir," Kai responded right away, already typing away on his laptop. "As soon as we get the press release comments, it is going live."

"Who is making sure we even get a comment?" Damon asked, taking a seat across from Kai. "We need to act fast. They are going to get hounded."

"April is emailing me right back."

"What's Plan B when Plan A goes to shit?"

"When have we ever needed Plan B?" Klaus mused. "It is fine, Damon. Chill."

"Trust me. You never know when you will need a Plan B."

"Well, right now, everything is fine. We have insider information that the Mrs. didn't work alone," Klaus reported as he continued to stare at the TV.

"My money is on the senator," Kai offered. 'There is no way she was smart enough to pull that off on her own."

"Humph. I wouldn't doubt women with an agenda," Damon retorted. All their eyes were on him as he realized he had said it aloud. "Never mind. Can we just get the story, please?"

They worked the rest of the afternoon, building their story and using insider resources for their investigation. If embezzlement was proven, Mrs Whitmore would be facing jail time. Better yet, if they had managed to prove it, it would get Giuseppe off Damon's back at least.

Damon attended the advanced kickboxing class Wednesday night and it felt good putting his anger into something, using it to release the frustration and tension building up inside him.

He attended class twice a week for the next two weeks—feeling better and better each time.

"You probably don't need a beginner's class anymore," Rose said at the end of class. "You could probably teach it by now."

Damon smiled back at her, taking in her athletic body. She wasn't very beautiful but she had been very professional, which had made him feel the most comfortable coming to class each time.

"Thanks. I have a lot of issues to work through." he grinned, grabbing his bag and tossing it over his shoulder.

"I see that a lot in here. A lot of ex-girlfriends and old jobs as their muse." Rose smirked.

Damon gave her a small smile, not wanting to divulge into his personal life. "I bet. It is a good stress reliever."

"It sure is. See you next week."

He waved goodbye as he headed out of class. Before he met Elena, he might have tried to hook up with Rose. Offered to take her out for a drink: coded for one-night stand, or since he would see her in class again, it would be multiple one-night stands. But he hadn't even felt the urge. Perhaps Elena took more from him than he had thought.


	18. Chapter 18

It had been two months since Damon kicked her out of his office. Elena could still feel his hands on her, his lips and tongue licking up her neck, and the tightness of him inside of her. She felt the butterflies, the shivers, and the quivering her body convulsed into as he made her climax. She remembered everything her body felt, everything she felt for him.

She knew she owed him an explanation. He deserved one. But how did you tell someone you manipulated, lied to, and potentially caused him and his company's reputation damage that the feelings you had were real?

She hadn't slept well. Barely ate. She laid in her bed and listened to the same sad song over and over again, self-torturing herself into exactly what she had deserved.

She had finally graduated college, but it didn't feel like it. It felt like she was leaving a part of her life behind. A part of her life she would never get back.

She was no closer to finding information out on her father as she was the day she left Salvatore Enterprises.

Matt was still trying to help, but so far, nothing. The file told Elena everything about that day that she hadn't remembered, so at least she was able to get that much out of it, but other than that, she felt defeated—a failure. She didn't have closure about her father's murder, or about the way she and Damon ended things. Rather, how he ended things.

So, when she found herself parked outside of Damon's condo, she contemplated walking up the steps to his door. She felt guilty about what she did, what she had caused him, but most importantly, she felt guilty he didn't know the truth—the whole truth.

Elena wrapped a sweater through her arms and took three deep breaths. The sky was pitch-black with only a few scattered stars lighting her way to the front of his condo.

She walked up the stairs to his door and stared at the "7" nailed on his door. Reluctantly, she brought her hand up and knocked three solid times.

Her heart was beating so hard that she could barely hear her own thoughts trying to talk her out of this, telling her to quickly run in the other direction.

She waited in anticipated silence, nervous to see Damon again. She was not exactly sure what to say or if he would even let her say anything at all. In fact, she wouldn't blame him if he slammed the door in her face.

Elena held her breath as Damon opened the door. She studied him carefully and immediately noticed how casual he was dressed—ripped, faded jeans and a tight, dark blue t-shirt. He looked so good that she had to remind herself to exhale before speaking.

"Hi," Elena said softly. His eyes were burning a hole into hers—hard and unreadable. She chewed her lip as she watched him—unmoving and silent. Her eyes dropped, not wanting to see the pain in his face. "I'm sorry to just show up like this, but…I had to see you one more time. You deserve an explanation." she paused. "The truth," she clarified.

"Who are you to tell me what I deserve?" Damon crossed his arms, his feet part, hovering over her. He was intimidating, but Elena couldn't let that scare her. She needed to do this.

She swallowed and briefly looked back up at him. "I'm nobody. You are right. I just wanted you to know one thing. Although the internship was a fake, and I lied about my background, my feelings were one hundred percent real. I never lied about the way I felt about you. I never expected to meet someone like you, and then when you started coming on to me—"

"Don't you dare put that on me, Elena. Don't you dare blame me for that."

"I wasn't!" She shouted louder than she had meant to. "Sorry…I don't blame you for anything. I got in too deep and then my feelings for you grew stronger and I-I didn't know what to do."

"Did the truth ever come to mind?"

"Yes…" she whispered. "I mean, I wanted to. I knew it was the right thing to do, but I couldn't. I needed that internship."

"You manipulated your way into my company. You stole and lied. You could have cost me everything." His voice was calm but stern. He still sounded as angry as the day he kicked her out of his office.

Elena shivered as the cold wind passed through her. Her nerves intensified as their conversation heated.

His lips formed a hard line, and Elena wondered if he would give her the chance to explain.

"I know I don't deserve any time from you, but if you will let me, I would like to explain." She swallowed and looked up at him. "To explain the whole truth."

Damon hesitated, scratching the back of his neck and thinking before he replied. "Fine. You have five minutes to tell me something real."

Elena nodded graciously. He backed up and gestured for her to come in. She quietly thanked him as he took her sweater off and hung it up.

She followed him into the kitchen and sat on a barstool. She leaned her elbows on the countertop and looked around. It brought back memories—memories that she wished were still her reality.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Damon asked in a low tone.

"Sure. Thank you."

Elena watched him intently as he grabbed a bottle of water from his fridge and handed it to her.

Damon leaned against the counter across from her, crossing his arms once again. He was looking at her with no emotion as he waited for her to talk.

Elena took a sip of her water and cleared her throat nervously. "Well, you know that that my father, Grayson Gilbert was murdered ten years ago." It hurt her to say it aloud, but good in a relieved kind of way. Like saying it to someone else would make the pain real. "I witnessed it and since then have been trying to figure out the events that took place and who killed him. I have been searching for anything that links anyone to him. Things I wouldn't have known at that age.

"I have limited information and even worse memory of that day. A bullet nicked me and left a scar on my shoulder." She caressed it lightly out of habit, remembering how Damon used to kiss it so tenderly. "I used Salvatore Enterprises as my chance to dig into his files, or any files that would give me information." She tightly closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. "I selfishly used you to get inside for my own personal gain. I needed closure…and at the time, I was willing to do anything to get it."

Damon shook his head in disbelief, or shock. Either way, Elena saw his body tense at her confession.

"There is nothing I can say to tell you how truly sorry I am, Damon. It was all supposed to be a simple get-in, get-out type of job. Learn my way around, dig into files, and find what my mother won't tell me."

"Simple?" Damon half-laughed in amusement. "Nothing about that is simple. Do you have any idea what you were doing? The risk you were taking?"

"Yes…yeah. I thought I did."

He shook his head disapprovingly again.

"You were never part of the lies, Damon. Everything I felt for you—"

"It doesn't matter!" Damon cut her off. "It was based on lies. It is no different. You could have cost me my job. My reputation."

"I know," Elena said quickly. She exhaled slowly, needing to get her emotions back in check. "I know…it was a selfish move. One hundred percent selfish," she admitted. "I have never felt more regret than I did these past few weeks, replaying every decision in my head over and over."

They both stayed silent, neither of them knowing what to say. The electricity between them was palpable—the tension evident in every silent breath not spoken.

Elena stood up from the stool and brushed both hands on her jeans. She hesitated before finally breaking the silence.

"Nothing I can say will change what already happened, and I know that, but just know that I really am sorry. Even if it is too late to apologize, I am." She smiled weakly at Damon before turning towards the door. She grabbed her sweater off the coat rack and attempted to pull it on when she was hit with Damon's scent.

He was behind her, just barely touching her back. She could feel his hot breath on her neck, instantly sending goose bumps down both arms. It was evident the power he still had over her body, entirely consuming and intoxicating.

Damon grabbed her sweater, signalling to let it go. He slowly and torturously pulled it on her and secured it tightly across her chest zipping it up slowly. Her back was still facing him, but her body was fully aware of how close he was now.

"Thank you," Elena whispered softly.

Both hands were gripping her upper arms, securing her in place. Elena was not sure if she should move, or if she even could move. She would do anything for him to let her stay, but she knew she was completely undeserving of it.

Damon brought his mouth to her ear, her eyes closing on contact as he whispered, "Let me help you. I can help find whatever you are looking for."

Her eyes snapped open. "Why would you do that?" she asked quietly.

Damon let out a deep groan as he pressed their bodies together. "Because I haven't stopped thinking about you, Elena. Everything in me screams to hate you, push you away, and not care about you—but I can't. As much as I try to convince myself it was only sex, I can't."

Her breathing quickened at his confession. Her body ached for his touch, to feel his tongue against hers again, to be held in his arms—anything. She was begging for all of it.

Elena squeezed her eyes tighter, holding in the tears that were threatening to escape. Hearing his pained voice told her just how much she had hurt him, how much she had betrayed his trust.

"Damon," she whimpered, relaxing into his hold. She would give anything to feel his naked body against hers again.

"Unfortunately, the damage is beyond repairable," Damon growled in her ear.

"I understand. Thank you for allowing me to explain it to you, at least."

He pulled her in closer to his chest. She anticipated his touch, the feel of his lips—anything to signal that he wasn't letting her go.

She felt his nose in her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. Her eyes closed on contact, taking him all in. His arms wrapped around her chest, closing her in.

Reality set in, and Elena quickly opened her eyes. "Damon, please." She sounded weak, pathetic. "Please let me go."

"I don't want to. As much as I should, I can't."

"You have to…"

Elena felt his body went limp against hers, but she didn't turn around to face him. She couldn't bare it. Finally, Damon reluctantly let her go.

"Good night, Damon."

She opened the door and walked out.

x x x

God dammit, why did he still want her? After everything she had put him through, Damon knew he should stay away.

But he couldn't. Instead, he texted her and told her to tell him everything she knew about her father's death. He had planned to dig into his case anyway, but perhaps the information she had could help him out.

 _Elena: I know there were issues with money. My brother remembers hearing them fight about it. According to their finances, their monthly income was not stable and was inconsistent. Do you think that could be the reason someone wanted him dead?_

 _Damon: It is a possibility. Just let me figure that out, Elena. Just tell me anything you remember or any dreams you have had. Have you had any dreams?_

 _Elena: Well, most recently I had one that was like a flashback. I was sleeping when I heard them arguing in the kitchen about how my dad had spent all this money they didn't have. My mum was worried about having to sell the house. My dad told her he would find a way to get a Wes to give him more time. I also found a note with the name Jonas Martin on it with a lock box code. When I told my mother about it, she freaked out and said I was going to get us killed trying to figure it out. I know she knows something…or at least has suspicions._

 _Damon: Okay, thanks. That's all really good to know. I will let you know when I find more information out. It might take a few weeks._

 _Elena: All right. Thank you, Damon. You don't know what this means to me._

Damon swallowed hard as he read her last text. He had never expected to be getting information from the victim's child years later about a case. It was almost unheard of but at this point…what did he have to lose? Elena wanted answers and finding out any kind of truth would make Salvatore Enterprises look good. He just hoped his father would feel the same way after everything.

He didn't text her back because he didn't want her thinking they were now coordinating on this together. This was strictly a business relationship. Nothing more. It couldn't turn into anything anymore…

Damon focused all his attention on everything Elena told her. He read over the file, looking into Grayson's finances. They were definitely inconsistent for at least two years, which was ironic for someone who worked a salary day job. Something definitely looked suspicious.

He followed the bank that he and his wife shared. Turned out he had several accounts in his name without his wife's name. Definitely suspicious.

There wasn't a whole lot to go off the name Wes without a last name. He looked into our database anyway, perhaps a drug lord or dealer that had been mentioned previously, but he found nothing.

For the next two weeks, he engrossed himself into Grayson Gilbert's file. He went to his kickboxing classes twice a week and did more research. After a while, he was no longer doing this just for the sake of the company. He wanted Elena to have closure as well.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts, and Damon told whomever it was to enter. His head lifted up as he watched Elena walked in. She flashed a small smile as she walked over to his desk, taking the chair in front of him.

"Hi."

"Hi." Damon smiled back.

"Thanks for…um…helping me. Letting me come here." Her voice cracked and Damon could tell how nervous she was. It had been a month since they had last seen each other.

"You are welcome. I have been doing some digging based on what you have told me, and I might have a few answers for you."

Elena stiffened and Damon knew this was something she had been waiting to hear for a long time.

"I did an extensive search for Jonas Martin, nothing linked back that was tied to your father."

Her shoulders slumped as she let out a disappointing breath.

"However, I investigated the lock box number and code and was able to trace it back to a bank in Richmond. It was registered under your dad's name." She wrinkled her nose as her eyes narrow, confused. "He used a pseudo name for the lock box, actually."

Elena adjusted her hair and sat taller. "Wait…he is Jonas Martin?"

"Yes. He has a bank account set up through them that pays the monthly cost directly. When I spoke with the manager, he told me it was set up before he died. He has just enough money in that account to pay for it for ten years."

She gasped. "Ten years?"

"No one is allowed to open it until then."

"What? Why?"

Damon shrugged. "Those were the orders."

Elena leaned back in the chair, defeated. "That makes no sense."

He cleared his throat to grab her attention. "I also checked into his financials again, getting the history on all his accounts. He had a joint account with your mum as well as his individual accounts."

"Okay?"

"They were all unstable. One month they would be broke, the next he deposited thousands. A few months later, the same thing. It went on like that for a couple of years."

"But I thought we already knew that?" she questioned.

"Well, yes. But he was taking out large chunks at once. As if he had been paying something off. One month there would be a lot, and the next completely broke."

Damon watched as she chewed her lip and shifted her eyes from him to the floor several times before she spoke again. "I don't understand."

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, not wanting to tell her the bad news. "It is speculated, Elena, that he was into gambling." He watched her breath hitched. "He was an addict," he clarified.

"No…that can't be right." Elena shook her head. "We live in one of the nicest neighbourhoods. My mum was a stay-at-home mom."

"The deposits were thousands of dollars, suggesting that he borrowed the cash to feed his addiction. He probably felt he could win it back and pay his debt. When addicts lose, they don't stop at anything. They will borrow as much money as they can to keep gambling. So, he would win a large amount and then gamble it all away. That was why the deposits were always inconsistent."

She continued shaking her head in disbelief, her eyes glazing over.

"I had a hunch, Elena, and I ran with it. I contacted the nearest Casino and was able to confirm old records of his winnings. I know it is not what you want to hear—"

Damon stopped when he saw tears falling down her cheeks. Her head was lowered to her chest, but he could see her eyes tightly sealed.

He rounded his desk and kneeled down in front of her. "Elena, I'm so sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was deliver bad news about your dad. I swear. I'm extremely thorough. I wouldn't pass on information I wasn't absolutely certain of."

Her body began trembling as she tried to conceal the cries that were escaping. He rubbed both thumbs under her eyes and wiped away her tears.

Her head fell deeper into her lap. Her hands caught her face as she sobbed heavily. Her body shook as she finally released the horror that she had been living all these years.

Damon dug his face into her hair, trying to comfort her. He rubbed his hands up and down her legs in a consoling gesture, trying to get her to stop shaking.

"Shh…I'm here, Elena."

Elena lifted her her head up just enough to grab his shirt and dug her face into his chest. She sobbed uncontrollably, not concealing her emotions any longer. Damon's heart ached at how badly she was hurting—reliving the event and the years she had had to live without her father.

Being able to touch and comfort her when she needed it most sent a chill down Damon's spine. As much as Elena had hurt him, it couldn't be in any comparison as to how she was feeling finding the truth out about her dad—her hero.

While texting back and forth about her dad, it was easy to see how important Grayson was to her, which made it that much harder having to tell her this.

"Sweetheart, please don't cry." Damon cupped her face and forced her to look up at him. Her eyes closed on contact as he wiped her tears again with the pads of his thumbs.

He swore he would do anything to take this pain away from her. He was desperate to hold her and kiss her—anything to console her, but he restricted himself, not wanting to take advantage of her situation.

Her tears finally started to fade away, and she sat back up, wiping her cheeks. She choked out a laugh as she took in his shirt. "I'm sorry. I ruined your shirt."

Damon laughed with her. "You really think I care about my shirt?"

Elena sniffed and composed herself before replying, "I can't believe I cried that hard. I haven't done that in years."

"Well, then maybe it is a good thing. Something needed to trigger those emotions to come out finally."

She nodded in agreement. "I guess so." She swallowed back the tears. "I was such a naïve kid. I thought we were the perfect family—apparently we weren't."

Damon leaned in slowly and cupped her face with one hand. "We are all naïve as children. You were supposed to think everything was perfect. That was their jobs as parents to protect you. And it sounds like they did a good job." He smiled weakly, hoping to give her some clarity.

He looked into her sad eyes and hesitated at first, but finally closed the gap and softly kissed her lips. Elena matched his rhythm, soft and slow. His body was pressed in between her legs, making their faces aligned just perfectly. He felt her body heated up as he intensified the kiss, but realized he needed to slow down.

He broke the tender kiss, leaning his forehead against hers not ready to let go of her just yet.

He heard her swallowed deeply, almost moaning from the sudden loss. He knew he couldn't lead her on to think anymore could happen, or perhaps it was for himself so he didn't think this could go any further.

"Thank you," Elena whispered. "Thank you for everything. I still have a lot of questions, but at least I have some answers. It is better than being completely left in the dark…"

Damon rocked back on his feet and kissed her forehead before standing up. He grabbed her hands and pulled her up with him so they were standing chest to chest. Her eyes were still red and blotchy from sobbing, but he could tell she was feeling better since letting it all out.

"You are welcome, Elena."

She looked up at him with pain in her eyes. "I know I don't deserve any of your kindness or your help, but I hope someday you can forgive me." She looked down before stepping around the chair and walking towards the door.

Damon was living in a constant battle between wanting her and hating her. No…he could never hate her, but he was shattered when the truth came out. That much he knew was true. However, it didn't make his feelings for her any less real.

"Elena," he called out. Elena quickly turned around. "Glad to help. I will let you know if I find anything else."

She nodded appreciatively and grabbed the door handle. She stopped just before stepping out and turned towards him. "Goodbye, Damon."

* * *

 **Is this the end for our favourite couple?**

 **Sorry for the delay in updating the chapters as I'm still trying to catch up with my writing. Anyway, thank you for the support and kind reviews. I will try my best to finish this story before end of the year. Enjoy:)**


	19. Chapter 19

Elena remembered there was a saying.

 _There is a reason your past is supposed to stay in the past. There is a reason you want to forget. There is a reason the past hurts._

Wasn't time supposed to heal all wounds?

Well…twelve months hadn't done anything.

Forgetting about Damon Salvatore was next to impossible. No matter what she did to distract herself, no matter who she befriended, or how many 'dates' she went out on—she still couldn't forget about him.

Six weeks after leaving his office for the last time, Elena had managed to get a job as a reporter in Atlanta.

Two months later after Elena went to Atlanta, Salvatore Enterprises had announced that Damon was the new CEO. The Whitmore's case was a breaking news and a success for Salvatore Enterprises. Articles about Damon and pictures of him appeared frequently in magazines and newspapers. Elena saw them and she was happy for him.

But there was also dozen tabloid magazines about his widely publicized romances with other women. It was hard for her to read them. She couldn't without crying. She kept thinking about who he was taking to bed, who he was giving himself to, if he were missing her, or even thinking of her…

Of course not.

Elena knew she didn't deserve to be on his radar, and she had accepted that. They were supposed to move on. However, it was next to impossible when your biggest mistake, biggest regret was constantly around taunting you.

As long as Damon was happy.

As long as he was with someone who made him happy.

As long as he had moved on from the damage she had caused…she was happy for him.

Or so Elena kept telling herself.

x x x

What the hell was so significant about ten years? Ten years.

It explained why her mother kept the note hidden, but was she ever planning to tell them? Was she ever going to let them see what was in the lock box?

It didn't matter anymore.

Everyone important in Elena's life had left or walked away. She had Caroline and Matt, but after they finished college, they all went in different directions. She got a job in Atlanta—for real this time—Caroline went to New York, and Matt got a full scholarship for a master degree in London. They still kept in touch through emails and texts, but it wasn't the same as being together. She missed her best friends.

Elena had also moved out since she got the job and she hadn't seen her mother for at least six months. Her relationship with her mother hadn't gotten any better, not had she tried.

The house was empty when she arrived. She didn't tell her mother she would be coming home today. She didn't even tell her she would be coming home for a holiday. It was her first holiday after she started working in Atlanta.

Nothing had changed in the past one year since she had been here. Everything was always in its proper spot, not a dish out of place.

She walked around her old room, feeling out of place for the first time in her entire life. It was still her room, but why didn't it feel like hers anymore?

She sat on her bed and reflected over the past year. So much had changed that she was not even sure she had mentally caught up yet.

What a difference twelve month could make to someone's life.

New job. New friends. New life.

New everything.

x x x

Watching Elena walked out of his office twelve months ago shot a dagger through Damon's heart. As much as he wanted to hate her for what she did, he couldn't.

He was no longer falling for her.

He had fallen.

But none of that mattered anymore. They went their separate ways, living their separate lives. He hadn't seen or heard from her since. And why would he? There was no way to repair what had been broken…

Or so Damon had reminded himself for the last three hundred and sixty-five plus days.

At first, he wanted to scream at himself for how stupid he was to ever let Elena got that close to him. He should have known better—should have held his guard, but it was inevitable. His body had noticed her before his mind had a chance to catch up.

Looking back over those weeks, he should have seen it. The signs were there. The last name, the recommendation letter, her hiding in his office. God. He was so stupid.

He knew he had failed his father, and getter yet, he had failed himself. He promised he would work hard, and it was time he did what he really was meant to do.

Eventually, his hard work did pay off.

He was a Salvatore and he had to start living like a Salvatore.

Despite working ten hours in the office, Damon had continued his kickboxing and exercise. When fall arrived, he would wake up before the sunset. It would be freezing out, but he didn't care. It cleared his head, giving him validation that he was alive—that he could feel even after all the damage that had been done.

He thought about Elena every morning as he ran. He thought about the first time he saw her, the first time he made love with her, the first time he woke up and she was in his arms. But everything was built on lies and deception. All the reasons he needed to clear her out of his head for good.

A year later and Elena still consumed his life.

A few weeks ago, his mother blatantly hinting that he should find a girlfriend and settle down. He had briefly entertained the idea, but the impulse had passed very quickly. He had never seriously considered finding himself involved in a relationship because he would never be able to duplicate the feelings he had had for Elena—that violent, possessive, insane need to see and touch and laugh with her, that volcanic passion that controlled him and couldn't be sated. No other woman had looked up at him and made him feel humbled and powerful at the same time—or ignited that same desperate desire to prove that he could be more and better than he was. At the same time, he had absolutely no desire to ever again experience those tormenting, stormy, crushing emotions again.

Damon leaned up against the counter and tilted his head back as he took a shot of his bourbon. As the liquid burnt its way down his throat, he relived the moments Elena and he had in this kitchen.

Those moments were now gone.

After his fourth shot, he still couldn't stop thinking about her. Her scent. Her laugh. The adorable way she woke him up already riding him.

"Damn!" Damon slammed his shot glass down and tilted his body against the counter, his hands the only thing keeping him up as he felt like crumbling to the ground.

Elena might have lied like Katherine. Deceived him like Katherine. But she wasn't Katherine.

He didn't feel this way.

He didn't break.

He had wanted her back after finding out what she did.

No matter how much he tried to distract himself with kickboxing and his work, it was never enough. Elena was always on his mind—since the last time he saw her.

Damon pushed himself off the counter and grabbed his keys and headed out his front door.

It was lightly sprinkling out, but Damon could tell it was going to start pouring soon. He brushed a hand through his hair, shaking it out as he got inside his car and started the engine.

The nerves caught up to him before he realized what he was even doing. He found himself parked on the opposite side of her street. She might not even live here anymore for all he knew. It was an impulsive move, but that didn't stop him.

The moment he saw another car pulled up, his body instantly reacted—his heart raced faster and his skin felt as if it was on fire. It was far enough out of view that he couldn't see the driver, but the anticipation of seeing her was strong enough to kill him.

Damon griped the door handle about to step out when he saw Elena exited the front door of her house. He looked back to the car and saw a man exiting the car.

Damn.

Elena was stunning. Her eyes lit up and her lips formed into a wide smile as she saw the man. She was obviously excited to see whoever the hell this man was.

Damon let go of the handle and balled his hands into fists. He should have known. It had been over a year, she wasn't still thinking of him. Why would she?

The anger, insecurity, self-pity, and heartbreak – it all came at the same time his heart cracked even more – parallel to the regret that was building up inside.

Clearly, he was dreaming this.

Or drunker than he thought.

As Damon jerked the car back into drive, he watched as the man kissed her cheek before pulling her into his arms.

Bastard.

Damon raced down the street needing to get out of there as soon as possible. What was he thinking? Why after all this time was she still on his mind? Why couldn't he see any girl after her? The realization frustrated him. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel wondering when he had allowed himself to become this person.

New strategy—focus on work. Forget about Elena Gilbert.

* * *

 **Is Elena seeing another man? What will Damon do?**

 **Sorry for the delay in updating the chapters. I just got back to work and have been busy. I will try my best to finish writing this story before end of the year.**

 **Thank you for the support and kind reviews so far. I'm glad my readers are enjoying this story of mine:) Time flies, year 2017 is coming to an end soon. It has been an incredible year for me and I really appreciate the support I have received from my readers this year. Thank you so much!**


	20. Chapter 20

"Oh, my god! You are finally back, Matt! God, I missed you!"

"I missed you, too!" Matt smiled at Elena. "You sure look good, Elena Gilbert."

"Thanks." Elena smiled up at him. "You have no idea how excited I am to see you! I was so bored in the last few days. I thought having a holiday back home was great but living here with my mother has been a nightmare."

They walked into the house, slightly wet from the rain, and they immediately went up to Elena's room to chat. "That bad, huh?" Matt asked, sitting on her bed.

"Our conversation consists of 'hellos,' 'goodbyes,' and 'Don't forget it's your turn to take out the trash.'" Elena mocked her mother's tone, flashing her best fake smile. "It has been hell."

"She still won't talk to you about your dad?"

"Nope. She is pretty much set that in concrete with 'never ever go digging into your dad's case again or else!' lecture."

"You think she is going let you go to the lock box in two years when it is time?" Matt shuffled himself comfortably against the headboard.

"Whether or not she lets me, I'm going. I don't care what it takes. It is my right just as much as it is hers. I have thought about it so much that I have now convinced myself my dad was in the mob, he was their gambling dealer, and when he started losing, they called for a mob hit," Elena said in all seriousness. "I might have let my mind wander a bit," she said after Matt gave her a wide-eyed expression.

"I think you have been watching too much HBO."

Elena laughed. "It is likely."

x x x

Elena's phone was ringing.

She grabbed her cell from the dresser and picked it up. "Someone better be dying," she answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Are you sleeping?" It was Caroline.

"It's one thirty in the morning," Elena snarled.

"Sorry, but I have news. Big news!" Caroline gushed.

"Okay, I'm ready. Tell me."

"I need you to pick me up from the airport today!"

Elena was awake now. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm flying in early this morning. I will be there in a few hours."

"What? You are coming home?"

"Yup. Oh, god, I can't wait to see you!"

"Yes! I'm so excited! Matt just got here, too. I will finally stop being a hermit by myself and the three of us will be back together for the next few weeks," Elena said happily, the smile reaching her eyes. She was so happy.

"Ugh," Caroline groaned. "I haven't seen Matt for some time. Not sure I really want to."

Elena rolled her. "Seriously, you two are going to get along—whatever weird liking, not liking each other thing you have going on."

"Fine," Caroline moaned. "As long as I can pretend he doesn't exist, they will be no arguing."

"Whatever works, I guess." Elena laughed. "So, what time will you be here?"

Being with Matt and Caroline again felt like home. It was comforting to be with her two best friends again, but also painful. So much was changing so fast and there was nothing she could do about it except embraced it and enjoyed their time together.

Caroline could only stay for two weeks and Matt was going to spend a month here. It was perfect, nonetheless – Elena got to be with the two people that she really cared.

Not knowing answers to her father's case still haunted Elena. She anticipated being able to open her father's lock box in two years. It felt like forever, yet she knew it was not. It was sooner than never knowing at all, and she could wait since she knew that she would find out his secrets soon—hopefully.

Elena and her mother still didn't talk much. Miranda continued working a ridiculous number of hours, and when she was home, they rarely made eye contact. A part of Elena knew her mother was nervous being around her since she knew some of her father's secrets. Soon they would all be out, and Miranda wouldn't be able to deny anything. Until then, their relationship would continue the way it was.

She looked around her room that she had spent the last three weeks in. It looked exactly same as when she was still in college. But it still didn't feel like her room anymore.

Elena loaded her car with her luggage and she had a feeling I wouldn't be coming home anytime soon.

"I love you," Miranda said quietly as she stood by the car. "I'm glad you came home."

Elena swallowed as she stared expressionless at her mother. "I love you, too, Mum."

Miranda leaned in and they awkwardly hugged goodbye. Elena wished she could say what she really wanted to say, but it was not the way she wanted to leave things with her mother. For now, it was just awkward silence and glances, which was better than fighting with each other.

"Drive safe. Text me when you arrive, okay?"

"Sure." Elena flashed a weak smile at her mother. She opened the driver's side door and got in. She sat down and looked back at her childhood home that was filled with secrets and tainted memories.

* * *

 **Sorry, there is no Delena in this chapter. I thought I would write a bit more about Elena's friendship with Matt and Caroline, and her relationship with her mother. There will be Delena in the next chapter.**

 **Thank you for the support and kind reviews!**


	21. Chapter 21

Damon walked out of the gym, dripping wet with sweat. He chugged his bottle of water before getting into his car and throwing the empty container on the passenger seat.

Working out four to five times a week had made for an isolated, structured routine for him despite working relentlessly ten hours a day at Salvatore Enterprises.

Kickboxing had become a constant in Damon's life. Rose helped to train him by using his emotions into his workouts. She helped relieve all the pent-up stress and misery he was feeling. In fact, she had been a complete life changer.

After a good six months of showing up for classes twice a week, she asked if Damon would be interested in training others. Despite of his busy work schedule, he was keen to take what Rose was offering. He had hoped helping someone the way she had helped him would be fulfilling. And it was.

Now he trained and instructed classes once a week, plus working out one to two days on his own. It was definitely a different lifestyle than he was used to before, but it had been the one thing that kept Damon happy, and his mind free from wandering—thinking about her.

Elena Gilbert.

He couldn't help himself and checked her up a while back. He found out she had graduated with flying colours in college and had moved out of town because of a job. Since Elena was now out of town and he was busy with his work, their chances of running into each became slim—and he wasn't sure if he was happy or sad about that.

"Rose!" Damon called out as he walked into the gym with all the lights already on. "Rose, you here?"

"Damon? I'm in the office," Rose called back.

Damon rounded the door and stepped into her frantically clicking away on her keyboard in front of the computer.

"What's going on? You look unhappy."

Rose slumped her shoulders as she scowled at Damon. "Trevor just bailed on me. He was taking over the intro classes at Atlanta. Now I'm short staffed and have no extras to cover the class there."

Damon thought for a moment before responding. "How many classes are there? I'm planning to visit my uncle Zach in Atlanta. I can teach a few classes," he offered.

Her eyebrows raised as she finally stopped slamming her fingers down. "You are supposed to have a break in Atlanta."

"So?"

"That means you won't be having a holiday if you start teaching."

Damon crossed his arms as he leaned up against the doorframe, cocking a smile. "Are you doubting my ability to have a holiday while teaching intro classes? You are aware of who you are talking to, right?"

Rose rolled her eyes up at him. "Oh, yes. The all-powerful, all-too-perfect Damon Salvatore," she mocked. "I almost forgot."

"Well, I don't know about powerful, but I will take perfect."

"You are so egotistical."

Damon grinned. "And you love it."

"Guys like you are the exact reason I don't date them."

"Oh, come on. Not all guys are like me." He laughed. "I mean, it takes a lot of time and determination."

"You are annoying."

"And your life saver."

She groaned and slouched before giving in. "Fine, you can take the class. When are flying? The intro classes start next Monday."

"I will be there before next Monday."

"Trevor will be back in three weeks. You only have to take up three classes a week for three weeks."

"No problem."

"I hope I didn't affect your holiday schedule."

Damon winked at her. "Buy me more Wheaties when I come back."

"Make sure you have enough rest before starting. I don't want my best instructor passing out during class."

Damon curled his lips into a smirk. "I'm your best instructor?"

She sighed. "This is exactly why I don't date guys like you!"

x x x

Damon ate a protein bar and drank a bottle of water before setting up for his evening class in Atlanta.

At quarter to six, people began piling into the room. Most were younger—between twenty and thirty. At exactly six p.m., Damon welcomed the class and introduced himself. It was packed to the max, and he could barely see everyone that was here with all the kickboxing bags.

He began going through some basic things such as stance. He showed them the proper way to stand, parted their feet, and held their upper bodies up. It was all very introduction-like, and probably the most boring part of the whole session, but if they didn't nail it down right away, everything else would be a complete mess.

He walked around the room, and as they all worked on their stances, he guided some of the ladies with his hands on their hips to make sure they could feel the difference in between what they were doing and what they needed to be doing. Some of them giggled and blinked their eyes in front of him as if he was going to be impressed. He was not.

Damon should have known teaching a woman's intro class meant a handful of girls who were only there to gawk. Trevor was definitely a ladies' man. But Damon refused to be like Trevor.

"Ladies, is something funny?" Damon scowled, backing away.

"No, not at all," one replied in a serious tone, but her face was anything but serious.

"Carry on then." He walked away annoyed and back to the front of the class where a few more were completely on the wrong side of their bag.

Just as Damon was assisting another student, he heard the door open and slam shut. All heads turned toward it, but he was on the opposite side of the room, so he couldn't see what all the commotion was about.

"Damn, sorry," a woman's voice echoed through the room. "C'mon, let's go in the back." Damon heard her say to her friend next to her.

The disruption had interrupted his class and it ticked him off. Damon walked back to the front of the room and cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Ladies, please make sure you are on time. Tardiness isn't something I take lightly. Next time, the door will be locked," he said sternly. He needed to make sure they were all aware of how inconsiderate it was to show up late to his class.

"Sorry!" One yelled from the back. "It won't happen again."

Damon angled his body so he could get a glimpse at who he was talking to, but they were all the way in the back, and he couldn't see between all the bodies and bags.

"All right, I'm going to demonstrate stance one more time—girls in the back, please pay attention so you can keep up."

Everything ran smoothly as Damon transitioned to the different types of punches—jab, cross, hook, and uppercut. He went slow, making sure they could all keep up and walked around as they practiced the different punches once with their bags.

"You need to angle your body more to the right. And part your feet," Damon instructed to one girl. "That's it. Keep your chin up." She demonstrated for him once again. "Good."

He noticed he was running out of time, so he walked back towards the front of the class and went over basic kicks—front, side, and roundhouse. He demonstrated several times and told them all to practice with him.

After a few minutes, he had them rotated between punching and kicking. He reminded them to focus on keeping their stance while working on both.

Damon looked around and noticed many unbalanced girls. He chuckled to himself as he saw them all tried really hard. He made his way to the back since he hadn't been there yet. He noticed a few girls stumbling as they tried to switch between punching and kicking.

"Steady." Damon grabbed her hips and angled her body the right way. "Balance your hips and keep your feet apart. Flex your arms and focus on keeping everything tight." He aligned his body with hers, showing her exactly what he meant.

"Like this?" Her voice was laced with seduction and Damon knew exactly what she was doing.

"Yes. Great." Damon backed away and brushed a hand through his hair. This was definitely going to be a long three weeks.

He walked behind the last row and watched as they all tried to mimic his moves. There were a couple of girls on the way end whom he presumed were the ones that stumbled in late.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he watched the one on the end. She had legs for days, all tan and solid. It was not hard to notice them, but her stance was all wrong.

Oh, god.

"There is a reason being late to my class is not something I usually allow," Damon growled, gripping her hips with both hands. He immediately felt her body tense from his fingers. He pushed himself closer to her and she shivered underneath him.

She was clearly nervous around him, so Damon took the opportunity and adjusted her body to what her stance should be. He placed his foot in between her feet and pushed her foot farther to the right, opening her legs wider.

"Make sure your legs are parted. Bend your knees slightly." Damon heard her swallowed. Hard. She didn't speak. She only nodded at his demands. He could feel the heat radiating off her skin the longer he touched her. "Relax. You are too tense," He said against her ear. Her long dark brown hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, exposing the goose bumps on her neck and shoulders.

Her body eased into his as she straightened her back and perfected her stance. His foot was still in between her legs along with his hands on her hips. She trembled, her body giving her away completely. She was obviously affected by him and from the way that he was touching her. Damon hadn't even seen this girl's face, but he knew there was something about her that made him eager to spin her around.

"Perfect," he whispered.

At that moment, it was just the two of them. Damon felt her steady breaths as he stood against her. Back away, he told himself.

Hell no.

Damon noticed the rest of the room was silent as everyone stared at them. Damn. He rubbed both hands up her arms and landed on her shoulders, placing a quick, easy pat. "Good job," he said casually as the class watched him intently. He heard her breath hitch, as he felt something rough against his thumb on her right shoulder.

Damon glanced down and noticed a scar underneath her thin tank top strap. His own breath hitched as he recognized that scar.

x x x

Liv had begged Elena for two weeks to go to this new intro to kickboxing class with her, so finally, Elena agreed. She was sick of her friend begging her, so she caved.

"This better not leave any bruises on me," Elena groaned as Liv drove them to the gym. "I haven't worked out in like…forever. I will probably fall and hurt myself."

"Stop whining. It will be fun. Plus, we can impress all the guys with our new moves."

"What guys? You mean the old, senior reporters who have lost most of their hair?"

Liv laughed. Elena and Liv both got their jobs at Atlanta after they finished college. Liv was from Hampton and Elena had liked her immediately when they first met.

They ended up stuck in traffic and ended up being fifteen minutes late. "I hate being late," Liv groaned.

"Let's just not go in," Elena offered. "I'm sure we are not allowed to come in late anyway."

"Who cares? I paid for us to join this class." Liv shut the engine off and grabbed her bag. "We are going. Let's go."

Elena reluctantly followed Liv inside. Liv slowly opened the door to the studio, but Elena didn't catch it in time and it slammed shut.

Elena closed her eyes, embarrassed. Damn.

Liv announced their apologies and grabbed Elena's hand to lead her to the back row. "C'mon, we can hide back here."

Elena took the very end spot in the last row, hoping to keep eyes off her. She had no idea what she was doing and was still pissed at Liv for dragging her here.

She didn't notice Damon right away. In fact, it was not until she heard his voice that she instantly recognized him. She angled her head towards the front where he was standing and saw him. Damon had barely changed in two years, yet he looked different. He was definitely more buff. He was obviously working out more and paying more attention to his physique. And the twenty-one-year-old girl from two years ago was still very affected by him. Her body responded to him the same, her heart—still shattered and ashamed.

Elena tried her best to stay out of his view until she could successfully bail and never return. About midway through the class, her nerves got the best of her, and she almost told Liv they had to leave. Instead, Liv leaned over and whispered, "He looks really gorgeous."

Damn. Now Liv was attracted by Damon's look and it would be harder to tell her that they needed to leave.

Elena was almost in the clear with ten minutes left of class before Damon began walking towards the back. She turned her body away from him in hopes he didn't come this way. She pretended to be working on her punches and kicks when she felt him behind her.

His voice. She immediately tensed up at the sound of his coarse tone. It was the same tone he had used many times when they were in bed together—his domineering tone. It was sexy as hell.

Her body tensed the moment she felt his hand against her. Did he know it was her? Did he recognize her and was now slowly torturing her?

Her breath hitched for the hundredth time when she felt his thumb rubbed against her scar.

Oh, god. This was not happening.

Elena had expected Damon to make a scene or even yell at her to get out of his gym, but he didn't. She soon realized the entire class was staring at them. His thumb rubbed against her shoulder once more before he backed away and began walking to the front of the class again.

"Uh, great session, everyone. I will see you all Thursday." His voice was anxious, and Elena knew she had to get the hell out of there—fast.

Everyone began packing their things and swinging their bags over their shoulders. Liv was immediately to Elena's side with her mouth agape.

"What the hell was that?" Liv asked half-shocked and half-amused. "I wonder if he has a twin." She cocked her head as she continued staring at Damon who was surrounded by girls who were all chatting him up.

"He doesn't," Elena answered without thinking. "I mean, he's an only child."

Liv's eyes widened. "You knew him?" She took another look at him. "I should have known."

"Let's go," Elena said firmly. "I want to get out of here."

* * *

 **As promised, there is Delena in this chapter:) Hopefully you gals/guys will enjoy this chapter. Sorry for the delay in updating the chapters...I'm trying to write as many chapters as I can but work has been busy...It may take me this weekend to write more, so be patient...  
**

 **Anyway, thank you for the support and kind reviews!**


	22. Chapter 22

"Let's go." Elena grabbed her bag and walked as quickly as possible away from Damon.

"You better start talking the second we get in that car." Liv pointed a finger and scowled at Elena.

"There is nothing to say," Elena answered.

Liv eyed Elena suspiciously and threw her bag inside the back seat before getting in. Elena shoved the bag in the back set and shut the door, relieved to be leaving.

The second she shut the door, she saw Damon.

Damon was staring at her as if she was his last meal, and she was not sure what to think when he began walking towards her.

"Elena," he growled as they came face to face.

"Damon," Elena said formally. He stepped closer to her; instinctively making her took a step backward. "I didn't know you teach kickboxing," she blurted out. She swallowed hard at his intensive stare.

Damon brushed a hand through his hair, roughly. Elena could tell his mind was spinning just like hers was.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, taking her off guard.

"Well," Elena began hesitantly. "My friend Liv actually signed us up, and well, she made me come."

"No," Damon said roughly. "What are you doing here…in Atlanta?"

Elena swallowed, confused by his words. "I live here. What are you doing in Atlanta? Aren't you the CEO of Salvatore Enterprise? Why are you teaching an intro kickboxing class?" she asked more defensively. Who the hell was he to ask what she was doing here?

"My uncle lives here," he admitted. "And I'm taking a few weeks off work. I teach a few classes here in my spare time. My friend owns the business."

"I have been living here since I graduated," Elena explained. "I work in one of the news stations as a reporter."

"Oh, right."

Elena crossed her arms and took another step back, needing to keep a safe distance between them. "Sorry to have interrupted your class." She walked around him and head towards the passenger door. "Don't worry. I won't be returning."

She grabbed for the door handle, but Damon firmly took her elbow and spun her around to face him. "No, you should come back." He stared intently into her eyes, and she couldn't find any words to say back to him. "Just don't be late next time." He released her arm but kept his stare.

"I will think about it." Elena turned and opened the door, getting in and slamming it behind her.

"Drive," she told Liv.

"Well, that was intense," Liv finally said half way back to Elena's apartment.

"No, it wasn't."

"Obviously, there is something going on between the two of you," Liv teased.

"No, there is nothing between us. I haven't seen him in two years."

"He is hot," Liv gushed.

Elena tilted her head towards Liv and scowled. "Don't even."

"A girl is allowed to appreciate a nice piece of man-meat, thank you. And appreciate I will…Mondays and Thursdays for the next few weeks." Liv laughed.

"Then you are going alone. I am not coming back."

"Oh, yes you are. You have to come."

"I don't know," Elena mumbled just before they arrived at her apartment.

"Just think about it. How often do you get to come to class to learn kickboxing and your instructor is so hot?" Liv smiled as if she had just made this whole thing easier on Elena.

"I hate you right now." Elena gripped the door and opened it, letting herself out.

"No, you don't. You like me!" Liv yelled just before Elena slammed the car door in her face.

Elena smirked to herself because she really did like Liv.

Later that night Elena lay in her bed, unable to sleep. She had way too much on her mind.

Damon.

She would be seeing Damon again in three days.

Did she want to see him again? Yes.

No. Yes.

Damn, she didn't know.

It had been two years. Elena was just getting to the point where she could move on from him.

Perhaps they could be friends.

Could they do that? Did she want to do that?

Perhaps it was too soon.

x x x

Damon was cursing himself.

God, what was he doing?

He shouldn't have followed Elena out. But he did. He didn't even have a chance to talk himself out of it before he was standing in front of her.

And now his emotions were all over the place—remembering her scent, her delicate facial features, the way her body would tremble underneath him—memories that were impossible to forget and now they were all slapping him back in the face.

One second he wanted to hate her for all the agony she had made him feel over the last couple of years, and another second he wanted to kiss her.

 _Make up your mind, Damon Salvatore!_

It was impossible when he had spent the last year trying to forget her completely and then to have her show up in his class—a class he wasn't even supposed to be teaching.

Was it fate?

Or just a coincidence?

There were plenty of other gyms in the city that offered kickboxing classes. There were plenty of instructors. But Elena showed up in his.

That had to mean something.

Damon's mind wasn't anymore made up by the time Thursday arrived. All he knew was that he wanted to see Elena. Even if they couldn't talk, he just wanted to watch her. He wanted to get a glimpse of who she was now. He could still remember all the intimate details about her. The way she ate. The way she nervously rubbed her shoulder. The way she bit down on her lower lip. He couldn't help but wonder if she was still the same girl with all those traits.

"What's up with you today?" Rose asked as Damon walked into her office. "You are cheerful."

Damon slapped a hand to his chest as if he was offended. "I'm always cheerful."

"No, you are not. You are grumpy whenever you turn up to classes."

Damon shrugged. "Maybe because I'm having a holiday at the moment."

"You got laid, didn't you?" Rose raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"No." He winked at her. "Have any friends looking for company?"

"Not that'd be interested in you," she taunted.

Damon flashed her a pained expression and she laughed. Rose had become a really good friend to him this past year, and he valued her friendship more than anything.

"Excited for your intro class tonight?" Rose asked as Damon sank into the chair across from her.

"You could say that."

"I can't tell you how grateful I'm…"

"Don't start," he scowled. "You have thanked me more than a dozen times. Save it for the others."

"You know you are so annoying sometimes."

"And you love me."

"You are an arrogant asshole, you know that?"

Damon pushed himself up. "I know." He smirked at her, knowing it always gets me out of trouble. "Wish me luck. I'm heading to class now."

"I hope they eat you alive!" she called out as he walked out of her office.

"Trust me, they will."

But he was only slightly interested in one right now.

Damon walked into the studio at quarter to six, a few girls already sitting on the floor and waiting for class. Their eyes instantly lit up as they saw him. He flashed a small smile at them, hoping they stayed put.

No such luck.

"Damon, why don't we go out for a drink after the class?" A girl with red short hair asked.

"Yeah, we can go for a movie as well," another girl in pink shirt said after she giggled. "It would be fun."

Damon sighed. This was not what he had wanted.

"Why don't you girls warm up before we start the class?" he suggested.

"Are you going to warm us up?" The girl with red hair squealed. "That's cool!"

Oh, god. Damon wished she could shut up her mouth.

Then he heard the door opened and glanced over to watch Elena and her friend walked in. She grimaced and turned her eyes away from him as she walked to the back of the room.

Damn.

More people started piling in, so he quickly shooed the girls back to their spots. He ignored the others that said hello to him as he made way to where Elena was.

"You are not going to stay back here the whole time, are you?" Damon crossed his arms over his chest, smiling down on her. "You won't get a very good view."

Elena was on the floor changing her shoes and tying them as she replied, "I think the view is fine. I will just follow bimbo one and bimbo two's leads." She mocked, standing up finally.

Damon grinned, leaning his body in towards her. "Jealous? I can make a spot up there for you."

She jokingly laughed in his face as if being jealous was not even on her radar. "No, we are good back here."

It was six o'clock, and Damon knew he had to start class now. "Well, don't think hiding back here is going to keep you from participating in my class."

"Of course not, sir," she replied in a professional tone. She grinned as she stepped in front of her bag.

Damon couldn't help the stupid grin that formed on his face as he made his way to the front of the room. He laughed to himself as he thought of her calling him sir.

He started with a refresher from last class. Having them showed him their stances and punches. After watching most of them had successfully nailed it down, he demonstrated kicks again. They didn't have much time last class, so that was where he began again. He showed them a routine that he wanted them to learn.

"Keep doing it and soon we can add in some music to match the pace and rhythm," Damon called out as he walked around. He was dying to rush to the back right away and get a chance to touch Elena again, but he was not so sure she would let him this time.

He finally made his way back towards her and her friend. Her friend was stumbling around like a spider on a hot plate. He re-positioned her body, pressing his hands against her hips and tilting her body to the right angle.

"Damn, Elena. He is so hot. His hands are amazing," she said right to Elena as if Damon not here listening.

"Oh, my god." Elena's cheeks blushed instantly. "Ignore Liv. She has no filter."

Damon laughed, amused. He walked towards Elena and watched her, nodding his approval.

"Hot, huh? I guess you didn't tell your friend how I perform in bed?" he mocked, walking away and heading back up to the front.

It was rude to say something like that, especially since they ended things on okay terms. They weren't friends, but Damon still cared about her. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her—what she had been doing the past couple years, if her mother ever came clean, if she had plans to go to her father's lock box next year. But he was not sure he deserved answers to those questions. The moment he let her walked out of his office was the moment he let her walked out of his life.

He saw Elena scowling at him as he stood up in front of the class. She moved, angling her body and giving him a direct view of her now. She was still looking so good.

Everything in Damon was fighting against each other. What she did versus who she was. Knowing why she did it helped give him closure, but it didn't change the fact that she lied and manipulated him. It also didn't change the way he felt about her, but that was something he had to let go of the moment he found out.

He blasted the stereo and told the class to do some freestyle moves. He told them it was good to get to know the bag well, to know their strength, and to have fun. It was only the second class, and he liked letting the students enjoyed their time, especially in an intro class.

Damon used the opportunity to walk around, watching them punched and kicked the bag with all their strength. It was humorous as he saw girls beating the living shit out of a punching bag.

He stepped behind Elena and watched her in amusement as she kicked the punching bag. He could hear her laughing with her friend as he moved in closer to her.

"Looks like you are really enjoying that," Damon said in a deep tone. Being this close to her again was putting every one of his senses on alert. He could practically feel the shiver that rippled through her.

"I am," Elena replied without looking back, giving the bag another hook. "Using your face as a target really helps my game," she spit out quickly.

Damon held in a laugh at her serious tone because, she was so goddamn adorable when she was pretending to be pissed off.

"I guess I deserved that." He stepped around her and planted his feet next to the punching bag, crossing his arms. "Show me what you have got."

Elena eyed him curiously before curling her lip up into a suspicious grin. She cracked her knuckles and swung her arms around. She got into the stance position Damon had taught her and got her arms up before kicking and punching the bag. She then swung around and back kicked it before one last jab.

She then stood upright with her feet together and put her hands flat together, bowing down in front of him, like in the Japanese culture.

Damon tried to hold in a laugh, but once their eyes locked and Elena burst out in a laugh, and he could no longer hold it in.

"What was that?"

"I don't know." She shrugged lightly. "Practising."

"This is her new interest," Liv interrupted, breaking their connection.

Damon's brows raised in question.

"I'm writing an article on Sports Management," Elena clarified quickly.

His lips curled up in a hasty grin. "Maybe you need to look for an internship?"

Elena's eyes narrowed, obviously not amused by his joke.

"You are an asshole," she spit out, annoyance laced in her voice.

"I see you still have the same attitude as before." Damon smirked, unable to stop himself from spewing the words out. Her body remained still; the chemistry building between them didn't go unnoticed.

He stepped towards her and placed a hand against her cheek. He didn't even realize he was doing it until she leaned her face into it, making him forget that they were in a room of thirty other people.

"Good work." Damon nodded, frazzled from the way two years of suppressed feelings rushed back in. He stepped back, needing to put space in between them. Elena watched with widened eyes as he backed up and walked towards the front.

Once he was in front of the class again, she didn't make eye contact with him, and he avoided her for the rest of the class.

This was a bad idea.

A really bad idea.

But then again, nothing involving Elena Gilbert had ever really been a good idea…and that never stopped Damon in the past.

* * *

 **As promised, more Delena in this current chapter:) Hopefully you gals/guys will enjoy this chapter. Sorry for the delay in updating the chapters...I'm trying my best to catch up with my writing...Thank you for all the support and kind reviews:)  
**


	23. Chapter 23

Elena didn't know why Damon flirting with her had evoked emotions inside her—anger and lust—both fighting with each other as to which one she should be feeling.

The first year after Damon was so hard. It had taken her a long time to break her shell and finally moved on with her life.

So why the hell was she doing this? Why was she putting herself in a position to see Damon twice a week and letting her blood boil every time he was near her?

 _Because you still love him._

 _Shut up, heart._

Liv had made her continued going to the classes the following week. She and Damon hadn't talked since the last time he cradled her face with his hand. There was something so familiar in his touch. Something that made it impossible to forget him, or how he made her feel.

Matt gave her a surprised visit prior to leaving the States and Elena was glad to see him.

"Thanks for dropping by before leaving," she said softly as she got into his truck. It was already dark out so he couldn't see how bloodshot her eyes were from crying.

"Where do you want to go?" Matt asked enthusiastically.

"I don't care."

"Hey, what's wrong?" He turned and forced Elena to look at him. "Why are you crying?"

Elena sniffed once and replied, "Because I'm an idiot, Matt."

"You are going to have to be a bit more specific," he mocked. "What happened?"

"Damon," she said quickly. "He is my kickboxing instructor."

"Hell no!" he yelped. "No wonder you are enjoying that class so much," he teased.

"No, it is not!" she retorted.

"Then what is it?"

"It is as if two years never even passed. My body still craves him, wants his touch. My mind is going crazy, and I don't know how to control these feelings lingering inside me. It is as if we could pick right back up where we left off. You know—before everything blew up in my face and I never saw him again."

"So what is the matter? Have you talked to him?"

"No, not really. We spoke the first week of class, barely, but he hasn't said a word to me since. He watches me and that's it. And I think that is what is pissing me off. He is treating me like any other student."

"Perhaps it is what helps him see you after all this time, Elena. Maybe he is struggling with seeing you just as much as you are. Maybe he is confused considering he probably didn't expect to see you again."

Elena knew Matt was right, but she hated that Damon was. But she was not like every other student in that room. She cared about him. He had kissed her with such passion and aggression that she would never forget. They had so much between them before it was ripped apart.

"I just hate that I'm having these feelings towards him. I thought I was over him, Matt! Over. And now? I don't know."

"Have you tried speaking to him?"

"No. He always has like a hundred girls waiting for him. And one of the other instructors always comes in right after class and is like all over him. I can live with the idea of him moving on, but I don't think I can just sit there and watch it. That hurts even worse."

"Damn," Matt swore silently before his lips curl into a wide grin. "Well, I know where I'm taking you. Time to get you drunk."

Elena laughed as he pulled out into the street. "Why is that always your answer to everything?"

"Booze heals the weak and broken-hearted, my love. Trust me."

She narrowed her eyebrows at him, confused at his words. "Who are you longing after?"

Matt tilted his head at her but didn't say anything because it was too obvious.

"I knew it!" Elena squealed. "I always knew, Matt."

"I know," he said softly. "I just wish she did."

"Caroline knows. You just need to grow some balls and tell her. Tell her you want her exclusively, not just one-night sleepovers. Tell her how you really feel."

"I will when you do," he mocked. "You tell Damon that you still want him, and I will tell Caroline."

"Oh, my god." Elena blushed. "Such a romantic."

They ended up at a bar where Matt kept feeding Elena drinks until she had finally loosen up and played pool with him.

Elena bent over the pool table and lined her stick up with the red-stripped ball. She pulled her stick back twice before finally smacking the white ball. It flew over the table and began rolling down the floor.

"Damn!" she screeched. She put the stick down and ran after it. It rolled under a high-top bar table, so she bent down to grab it. She had way more alcohol than she had remembered. She stood up, forgetting she was under the table, and smacked her head against it. "Dammit!"

She stumbled backward into something else and immediately regret those last three drinks. "Son-of-a-bitch." She braced herself for the pain to come, but it never did. Two large hands wrapped around his arms, securing her in place.

His scent consumed her immediately, and Elena knew exactly who those hands belonged to.

"Are you all right?" Damon asked, his voice raspy and deep.

"I'm fine. You can let me go," Elena said. She didn't want to see his face. She just wanted him to let her go so she could walk back to Matt.

"You are stumbling all over the place. What are you even doing in here?" His tone was angry, and Elena felt herself getting brave as the alcohol flooded through her veins.

"I was playing pool with a friend. Is that okay?"

"No," Damon responded curtly. "You are drunk. You need to go home and sleep it off."

Elena pulled her arms out of his grip and turned around to see a pissed off Damon.

"Who the hell are you to tell me what I need to do? You aren't my boss anymore, Mr. Salvatore."

Damon grabbed her upper arm and pulled her closer to him, lowering his mouth to her ear so only she could hear him. "Get your ass out the door before I throw you over my shoulder and carry you out myself. Decide," he growled.

"God, you are an asshole. You haven't changed a bit, Damon Salvatore."

"Say goodnight to your friend. We are leaving."

The alcohol pulsed through her and part of her was thankful Damon was here. She told Matt she was leaving with Damon, and Matt gave her a wink before she walked away.

"Well, let's go," Elena mocked, walking past Damon with her hoodie in hand.

Damon casually followed behind her, not hurrying along as she walked in front of him.

Elena made her way to his car that brought back memories of their time together, her heart immediately squeezed at the memory of them.

"Oh, the good times we had in this thing," Elena said, an octave higher than necessary. "Do you remember?" She smiled playfully as she leaned up against the passenger door.

"I remember," Damon replied roughly. He stood in front of her, his chest rising and falling heavily as they stared intently at each other. He leaned in, their eyes not breaking, until he grabbed the door handle behind her, and motioned for her to move. Elena swallowed, wishing she was sober enough to keep herself from acting like a damn fool. "Get in."

The ride was awkward, but Elena was too drunk to care at the moment. Damon kept a firm grip on the steering wheel with his eyes focused on the road as rain began to pour down all around them.

"I'm glad you have become the CEO," Elena said, breaking the silence. "I mean, you are good in what you do."

His body relaxed a bit before responding. "It was inevitable, eventually, that I would stay working for Salvatore Enterprises despite messing up here and there."

Elena swallowed deeply, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry. I'm sure that was my fault."

"No, it wasn't all your fault. I knew better," he said harshly.

Elena knew it. Damon regretted being with her. He knew better. He knew better than to hook up with an intern. To be with someone that he worked with.

"Even so."

"We don't have to do this, Elena. I know you are sorry. I have moved on from it."

"Good. Me, too."

"I know."

Elena snapped her head in his direction. "You know?"

Damon ignored her question and said, "We are here."

He got out and came to her door. He opened it and put his hand out for her. Elena didn't take it as she stumbled out of the car herself.

"I'm fine," she snapped. "Thanks for the ride."

She clenched her hoodie and began walking towards her apartment. But she could hardly walk straight.

"Elena, wait!" Damon called out as he came up behind her. "I don't want you to fall," he said genuinely, placing a hand on her lower back.

"Don't touch me."

"I'm just guiding you. It is raining and you are drunk."

"I don't need your guidance."

"I'm trying to be nice, Elena." He spun her around, making her faced him. He gripped both of his hands on her upper arms, stabilizing her.

"Well, stop it. Stop being nice to me. You don't get to be nice to me!" she screamed, breaking the hold his hands had on her.

"You think I want to be nice to you? You think I like caring about you after all this time?"

"Well…I'm sorry to be such a damn burden! I will stop ruining your life and stay as far away from you as I can. Happy?"

"No, I'm not happy," Damon said. "I have been miserable for two goddamn years, Elena. Why do you think I have gone into kickboxing? Everything reminded me of you. I needed to keep my mind busy just so I wouldn't think of you!"

"I'm sure all your hot girlfriends helped you plenty with forgetting me. Don't even pretend you haven't moved on. Stop being a hypocrite," Elena retorted.

"I never moved on," he said softly. "Don't believe everything you read."

"Then why couldn't you forgive me? Why didn't you come back for me?" Elena screamed over the rain, tears flowing down her cheeks. His words had completely sobered her up now that they were finally having the fight they needed to have all this time.

Damon firmly grabbed her arms again, pulling her closer to him. "I did! I came to your house last year. You had already moved on. I wasn't going to interfere with your happiness."

"What?" Elena gasped. "I wasn't with anyone last year. You think I could move on from you that easy, Damon?"

"I saw you," he admitted, releasing his hands. "You ran to him when he pulled up. You wrapped your hands around him and he kissed you. That's when I knew…" he stalled, pushing his wet locks off his face. "That's when I knew it was too late. I was too late."

Elena pushed him back forcefully with all the anger and regret building up inside her. "You were there at my house?" She screamed and pushed against his chest again, although he barely flinched. "You were there and never said anything?" She continued screaming, angrily.

Damon grabbed her fists and held them to his chest, stopping her. "And say what?" he asked softly. "I wasn't going to interrupt your reunion with your boyfriend. I knew I hadn't earned that."

"You weren't too late," Elena sobbed. She lifted her head up and met his eyes. "You weren't too late!" She repeated louder. "That wasn't my boyfriend. He never was. Matt was my best friend, and he had just returned from London," she explained.

"Damn," he cursed, dropping his eyes. "I don't know why I drove to your house that day. I shouldn't have."

"Why didn't you call?" Elena asked. His hands were still wrapped around her fists. "I haven't stopped thinking about you, Damon. I know I was wrong to lie to you. I know that. But if you were thinking of me, why didn't you call?"

"Because I didn't know what to feel, Elena. You lied to me, yet I wanted you. I wanted every piece of you! You know how messed up that made me feel?"

"I have an idea," Elena breathed out. "I became a tortured soul that didn't let anyone in because I was so damn regretful for what I did. I was angry and broken, and I didn't even want to live a life without you, yet I had to learn how because it was my only option."

His hands gripped around her face so fast, she didn't even see him leaning in. His mouth was on hers before she even had time to register it. Her palms laid flat against his chest as he held her, cupping her cheeks with his strong hands.

Elena moaned and panted against his mouth as he stroke his tongue with hers—thirst and desire taking complete control. His mouth consumed her, holding her tightly against him as he took her. She inhaled his scent as one of his hands gripped the back of her neck and the other hand slid down to her hip, holding her firmly in place.

It was just as she remembered. His lips were heaven and nothing would ever compare to the way Damon kissed her. Feelings rushed through her harder than the rain pouring down on them, and she realized she needed to make him stop.

Elena pushed against his chest, breaking the heated kiss. Damon looked down at her curiously, and then his eyes widened as he realized what they just did.

"God, I'm sorry." Damon released her and brushed a hand through his soaked hair. "I shouldn't have done that."

Elena didn't know if it was because he regretted kissing her, or the way he was looking at her right now that hurt the most. It gutted her completely as she saw the mixed emotions in his eyes.

"I should have called," Damon said. "But I was a coward. I wanted to forget, but I was a fool because I could never forget, Elena. I can't forget."

A sob reluctantly released deep within her chest. The last thing she wanted to do was cried in front of him.

Elena looked up at him and they locked eyes when she finally said, "I want to go home. Please leave."

"What?" Damon gasped.

"This is too confusing," she said, shaking her head. "I have moved on and so have you. Maybe this is the best outcome for us."

She spun around and began walking towards her apartment. She was soaking wet and freezing, but she didn't even care.

* * *

 **Thank you for all the support and kind reviews. Hopefully you gals/guys will enjoy this chapter:)  
**


	24. Chapter 24

Goddammit.

Damon was an idiot.

Why did he tell her all that? She was drunk, and he was a damn fool for thinking he had any claim on her.

"I have moved on and so have you. Maybe this is the best outcome for us."

Did that mean she had moved on and was with someone else or that she didn't want him at all? From the way that her body reacted to him—the same way it did two years ago—he had refused to think she could easily ignore that. There was no way she could deny it.

He had been battling his feelings for two years. It was exhausting, and no matter how much he told himself to move on—to forget her—he couldn't. He would never forget about Elena Gilbert.

Watching her in class for the two weeks had been pure torture. Not talking to her and barely making eye contact with her had been worse than trying to forget her. At least then, he didn't have to look at her and watch her perfect body moving and bouncing around during class. He could at least pretend his feelings were non-existent and that he was just a silly boy for not being able to get over her.

But Damon was tired of being that person. He was going to make her see that there was still something between them.

His mind was made up, and he was not going to take no for an answer. Nothing was going to stop him from making sure she knew exactly what he wanted and how he felt about her.

Damon watched Elena walked in Monday evening with Liv. She kept her eyes down as she made her way to the back of the room. He grinned selfishly as he walked towards her.

"Where is everyone?" Liv asked, looking up at Damon as he stepped in front of Elena. They were sitting on the floor, changing their shoes out and realizing the room was completely empty except for the three of them.

"Class got pushed back to six-thirty," Damon stated. Elena finally jerked her head up, staring at him suspiciously. "I sent an email out."

Liv looked at her phone, checking her email for the message she wouldn't find. "I didn't get one." She narrowed her eyebrows before looking back up at Damon. She smirked, obviously understanding the silent plea he was sending her.

He had never sent her an email.

"Well, since we have a half hour, I'm going to go grab a protein smoothie." Liv uncrossed her legs and stood up to walk out.

Elena stood up as well. "I will come with you."

"No, stay and watch our stuff," Liv said, rushing away before Elena could protest.

Elena crossed her arms, scowling up at Damon. "What are you doing?"

Damon flashed a confused expression. "As in general?" He raised brow, making her steamed even more.

"As in this." She waved her hands in between them.

"I just wanted a few minutes alone to talk to you," Damon admitted. "I want to apologize," he clarified. "I'm sorry for how I acted last weekend. It was inappropriate." She continued staring at him, not saying a word. Her expression read that she didn't believe him. She shouldn't…but that didn't mean he was not going to try to convince her of it. "We can be friends, right? I mean, I'm going to be your instructor for another two weeks."

"Friends?" She narrowed her brows, still scowling at him.

"Yeah, it is when two people talk casually. Maybe hang out. Strictly platonic."

"I know what being friends is, asshole. But I don't think that's a good idea."

Damon slapped a hand to his chest as if he was offended by her dismissal. "All right. Have it your way." He smirked. "You always did prefer the subordinate role."

"Excuse me? What did you just say to me, Damon?"

"It's actually, Mr Salvatore," he taunted. He winked at her, causing her anger to fuel even more.

This would be fun. If she didn't want to admit that she wanted to be more than friends, he would just have to make her realize it on her own.

Damon purposely avoided eye contact with Elena as he went over more lessons. He walked around the classroom like normal, but didn't step in to help her. Instead, he yelled at her for slacking and told her to try again.

Elena glared at him, dropping her arms to her sides. "If you need extra help, Miss Gilbert, you are welcome to come to the front of the room. It is a much better view." Damon smirked at her.

She bit her lip, stopping herself from making a scene before she finally released it and responded. "I'm just fine back here. Thank you, Mr Salvatore."

"My pleasure." He grinned wide. "Keep your arms tight. You are falling out of your stance. Flex your muscles as you drive into the bag," He instructed and walked away, but he could feel her eyes daggering into the back of his head.

After a great class, Damon dismissed everyone and began packing up. Rose walked in as usual after class and grabbed a hold of his arm. He laughed at her comments about some of the students, and grinned as he looked up to find Elena staring at him. She was scowling and shaking her head at him.

Damn. She was going to think he was playing her.

Good.

She was jealous.

He would take it. Anything to make her realized she still had feelings for him.

"Dude, that girl was close to lighting you on fire with her eyes. What have you done to piss her off?" Rose asked curiously.

"Oh…that story could take a while. Let's just say, we know each other well. Very well."

"What about her friend?" Rose watched Elena and Liv walked out of the studio and exited out of the gym. There were windows surrounding the building, so it was easy to see everything outside. The windows were tinted from the outside so nobody could see in.

"I know her well but not her friend."

"You better behave yourself when you are in the class," Rose warned.

"I always behave myself, madam," Damon said, teasingly.

"You are such an asshole," Rose spatted.

x x x

Damon stroke a hand down his shirt, smoothing it as he walked up to Elena's door. He was prepared for a pissed off Elena, so this would be interesting.

He rang the doorbell and impatiently waited for her to answer.

Elena whipped the door open with a toothbrush in her mouth, her hair up in some kind of rat's nest bun. She looked adorable.

"Vhat arr you doiin herr?" she said with a mouthful of spit.

Damon tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help it.

"Uhh, bad time?" he leaned in, hoping she would let him in.

She brought a finger up, motioning for him to wait as she ran and disposed of her toothbrush. She walked back with a bottle of water, chugging it before responding.

"Why are you here?" she asks again.

"I came to hang out," Damon said matter-of-factly.

"Hang out? We don't hang out."

"Friends hang out."

"We are not friends."

"We could be friends."

Elena narrowed her eyes at him, clearly confused by his sudden intrusion.

"Come on. Friends catch up. We have a lot to catch up on."

"I'm not exactly ready to catch up." She waved a hand down her outfit. She was in stretchy, black pants and a purple tank top.

"I'm not taking you to the opera. You look fine."

Elena sighed, dropping her shoulders as she stared at Damon.

He was here to prove to her that they belonged together, even if he had to play the friend-zone card.

"We can watch a movie. I bought 50 First Dates."

Her face lit up. "You do? I thought you hated that movie."

"Nah, I grew to like it." Damon shrugged casually. After watching it for three weeks straight, he grew to hate it because it reminded him so much of her. She knew every word and every time the penguin scene came on, she would flap her arms out pretending to wobble like one. Seriously, adorable.

Elena inhaled deeply as she thought about it for a moment. "Fine. Let me change. Or at least brush my hair."

"I can wait." Damon grinned.

Elena met Damon back at the door in less than ten minutes. She had brushed her hair out and put it up in a high ponytail. She was wearing black skinny jeans and a casual pink top. She was still so beautiful.

And Damon knew he was still in love with her.

x x x

What the hell was Elena thinking? It was as if Damon had this invisible pull on her. He could say, "Come with me…" and her arms would spread out in front of her as she followed behind him like a zombie. She was worse than a damn groupie.

"What if I had plans tonight?" she asked, buckling herself in. "What was your backup plan?" she mocked.

Damon tilted his head towards her, flashing a cocky expression. "Have I ever had to have a backup plan?"

"Well, I see your arrogant attitude hasn't changed." She rolled her eyes. "Same old Damon."

"That's not true," Damon retorted. "I only act like that to amuse you." He grinned.

"Ha! Very funny."

He laughed. "Don't ever change, Elena."

How was it that one moment his mouth was on hers, his body consuming her entirely and now she was in his car 'hanging out.' It was as if that moment never happened as if they were just pretending it didn't mean anything.

Could Damon really be her friend?

A part of her was screaming No! while the other part was ignoring it. She could do this. They could be friends.

They arrived at his uncle's place and Elena glanced around her as she stepped inside. She was impressed. Since Damon's uncle penthouse occupied the entire top floor, all the exterior walls were made entirely of glass, offering a spectacular view of the city. Three shallow steps led down from the marble foyer to the various living areas, but instead of being divided by walls, they were left wide open, indicated only by pairs of marble columns. Directly ahead of her was a living room large enough to accommodate several sofas and numerous chairs and tables. To the right of the living room was a dining room, which was elevated like the foyer, and just above and behind that was a cosy sitting room with its own intricately carved English bar to serve it. It was an apartment that had been designed and furnished to entertain in; it was showy and impressive and opulent with its various levels and marble floors.

"Your uncle lives here?" Elena asked, beaming. "This is amazing."

"Yes," Damon said. "Do you like it?"

"It is very nice," she admitted.

"My uncle Zach likes marble, but I'm not so comfortable around it," Damon teased, grinning. "It makes me feel like I have died and been interred, especially those black marble bathtubs."

"I can imagine how you must feel in his black marble bathtubs, then," Elena said with a slight smile.

"Entombed," Damon promptly agreed, walking beside her past the dining room and up the three steps to the sitting room.

When she sat down, Damon walked over to the bar. "What would you like to drink?"

"A coke for me," Elena said.

"Sure," Damon said with a smile.

This was a whole new Damon. This wasn't possessive, eat-me-alive Damon. This was genuine Damon with maybe a bit of brokenness. Elena was really fond of both sides of him.

She should have known coming here would pull at her heartstrings, but part of her just couldn't say no. They used to have a lot of fun together. Maybe they could really be friend after all.

"Hope this is okay. My uncle's fridge isn't stocked." He handed her a can of diet Coke and she nodded graciously.

"It's perfect, thanks."

He sat back down and turned the movie on. Soon, Adam Sandler was trying to hit on Drew Barrymore and her house made of waffles. Of course, she turned him down, and the whole scene was hilarious because she didn't remember past one day.

They sat comfortably with a bowl of popcorn in between them, laughing in between bites. It was so easy. No pressure, no unsaid words—just two friends hanging out.

Damon and Elena continued casually hanging out for the next few days. Each time, Damon picked up and they talked about everything and anything on the ride to the restaurant. Sometimes they stayed in his uncle's place and ordered pizza and wings. It was honestly nothing like Elena had pictured being friends with Damon would be. They were growing closer, but without all the sexual tension lingering between them.

* * *

 **Sorry for the delay in updating the chapter. I have a hectic day! Anyway, hope you guys/gals will enjoy this chapter. Thank you for all the support and kind reviews:)  
**

 **Merry Christmas!**


	25. Chapter 25

"What are you doing?" Liv asked Elena as they were having lunch in the staff café.

"Having my salad," Elena answered casually as she took a bite of the cucumber.

"Not that, dumbass. What are you doing with Damon?"

Elena narrowed her eyes at Liv. "We are just hanging out."

Liv tilted her head, disapprovingly. "Elena, you, my friend are living in delusional-land."

"Am not," Elena said, defensively. "Why would you say that?"

"He is taking you out to meals and you watch movies at his house. Alone. It doesn't take a genius to figure out."

"Well, you are wrong. We are friends. There is no touching, kissing, nothing. Strictly platonic." Elena nodded her head affirmatively. "Plus, it is not his place. His uncle lives there."

"You like him."

"He is my friend."

Liv rolled her eyes. "Okay. You keep telling yourself that."

"What's wrong with you, Liv? We are just friends."

"He loves you, Elena. This act, or whatever he is doing, is in hopes you will fall in love with him."

Elena shook her head feverishly. "No, he wasn't in love with me. He is just wasting time while he is here in Atlanta. It is nothing. I promise."

"Well, for your heart's sake, I hope you are right. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't. I'm fine. Honest." Elena smiled at her friend.

Later that evening Damon was waiting for her outside her office.

"I thought we could see a movie tonight," he said as soon as he pulled out into the street.

"You are going to make me watch one of those gory-guts-everywhere-type movies, aren't you?" Elena cringed, wrinkling her face at him.

Damon laughed, gripping the steering wheel slyly as he weaved them in and out of traffic. "No, actually. I thought we could watch one of your sappy, romance movies."

Elena raised a brow in disbelief. "Well, this new side of Damon is very refreshing. A gentleman and a chick flick."

He laughed harder. "You will see."

They arrived at the theatre and Damon completely surprised Elena when he bought two tickets for Me Before You.

"Seriously?"

His eyes widened, taken back. "Um, no. We don't have to see it if you don't want, I just figured—"

"Yes! I have been dying to see this movie! Oh, my god. Please tell me you brought some tissues."

Elena nearly skipped to the theatre, the anticipation of finally seeing this movie was almost too much. She had read the book last year when she was in her self-torturous phase and putting herself through emotional pain.

"How do you know I'd want to see this?" she asked, bumping her shoulder with his as they sat down.

Damon winked at her as he looked around the theatre, obviously taking in a large female audience number. "I had a hunch."

The theatre was packed by the time the movie began. They both ended up shoulder to shoulder—the people sitting next to them smothering them together.

"No crying." Damon leaned down and whispered against Elena's ear.

Elena looked up at the grin he was sporting. He so did this on purpose.

"That goes for you, too."

"That won't be a problem." His face was firm, not giving anything away. It was the first time she had seen this particular expression. She couldn't tell what it was—remorse, maybe? His jaw was tense and his eyes were locked on hers.

Elena looked away first. "The movie is starting."

A few minutes later she glanced up at Damon who was watching the screen. She had let herself got completely distracted between their kickboxing classes and hanging out as friends. But were they friends?

It was like a switch. Once Damon kissed her and confessed everything to her, she had turned that part of her heart off. But now it was definitely back on. He was the one it was beating for. He was the one she had let back into her life. She had tried really hard to get over Damon after what had happened between them. But now, here he was. Next to her.

She sank down in her seat, having no choice but to curl up next to him. The heat radiating off his chest burnt into her. She knew she had been ignoring her attraction to him. Her feelings were still there and she knew she had been lying to herself every moment she had allowed herself to spend time with him.

Elena swallowed roughly as she thought about the position she had put herself in. Why the hell did she let herself go along with his little 'friends only' charade? Had she secretly wished for more this whole time?

Could there be a second chance for the two of them?

Damon was like a rollercoaster. One minute her hands would be up in the air, enjoying the high, and the next she would be curled over hurling her guts out at the nausea her stomach was feeling. Damon was the dangerous choice—the tempting choice.

But she still felt something for him.

Damon wrapped his arm around her shoulders, leaning closer to her. Her heart quickened at the small gesture, but her entire body felt it. God, how did he have this effect on her still?

Elena tried to focus on the movie and soon tears were streaming down her cheeks. They came forcefully and without notice, but she continued watching because she didn't want Damon to see her like this. She couldn't even tell which tears these are—for Louisa and Will, or for Damon.

"Hey," Damon whispered, so close to her ear she felt his lips vibrated against her skin. "You all right?" She heard the sincerity in his voice, so smooth, so soothing.

She looked up at him, tears evident as they marked her cheeks on their way down her face. How did she miss it this entire time? She had built her Damon towers up, hoping to avoid feeling like this ever again, yet here she was completely smitten and uncontrollably in love with him.

She smiled weakly at him and nodded. "Yeah…I just know what is coming."

Damon pressed his palm to her cheek, wiping away the tears with his thumb. He let it lingered there as their eyes locked, lust and desperation potent in his touch. Damon was the reason she had any answers about her father at all, the reason she got to open his lock box in a year. He was always much more than a friend to her, and she didn't know why she had refused to see it before.

"Damon." It came out as a whimper and Elena knew he felt it, too. She bit her lip to keep herself from melting completely under him. "I'm fine now." She nodded her head so he knew he could take his hand off her.

She wiped her hand under her other eye, needing to compose herself. She was pretty certain their 'platonic friendship' just went out the window.

The drive back to Elena's condo was quiet. Neither of them knew what to say. Elena cried her eyes out at the end—uncontrollable, breathless sobbing. She was sure Damon thought it was due to the movie, but some of it wasn't.

He opened the door for her, and she let him took her hand as he escorted her out. Usually, they would be laughing and joking around, but something had shifted tonight. She could feel every movement he made deep within her. Her heart was thumping rapidly against her chest—rising and falling with every gesture Damon made. Her body was fully aware of him and how he was making her feel.

"Thanks for the movie. It was amazingly heartbreaking." Elena grinned shyly up at him.

"It was my pleasure, Elena. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the movie."

She laughed lightly. "I bet that hurt to admit."

"Yeah, I have kind of lost my man card. But oh, well. It was worth it." His eyes were intense as they burnt into her. She blinked and shifted them away, unable to directly look at him.

"Well, good night."

"Goodnight, Elena." His smirk formed into a devilish grin before he leaned into her. "No good night kiss?" he teased.

Elena rolled her eyes. "You are so annoying, Damon."

Before she could reach his cheek, Damon had her pinned against his car. Each one of his hands was gripping her wrist, holding them up against her head. His mouth was on her before she could protest, his tongue licking inside her lips demanding entrance.

Her mind didn't fully wrap around what was happening before it was too late. Her mouth invited him in, their tongues reuniting and fighting for control. His lips moved around hers desperately and eagerly as if it would physically pain him to let them go. His hands released her wrist as one gripped the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him. The other hand wrapped around her, his palm flat against the small of her back. His fingers pressed into the flesh, pleading with her to say the words he was secretly begging her to say.

And then he gentled the kiss, brushing his parted lips on hers in a light, exquisite touch that was even harder to resist than the other one. He trailed his lips to her ear and nipped the lobe, his whisper sending shivers down her spine. "I know you want to kiss me back, I can feel it. Why not indulge the impulse," he invited her huskily. "I'm more than willing and completely available…"

To her horror, his teasing statements gave her simultaneous impulses to giggle and to do exactly what he suggested.

"If I die in an accident on the way home tonight," he cajoled softly, his mouth sliding over her cheek toward her lips again, "think how guilty you will feel if you don't."

"You are crazy," Elena giggled as she laid her hands flat against his chest.

Her mind was spinning at what she wanted and what she should do.

"Elena, you are going to have to take a risk and trust me completely. Until you do, you are cheating me and you are cheating yourself. You can't outwit fate by trying to stand on the sidelines and place little side bets about the outcome of life. Either you wade in and risk everything to play the game, or you don't play at all. And if you don't play, you can't win."

Damon was right.

Perhaps she needed to just stop thinking altogether.

"I want to stay with you tonight, Elena."

x x x

Damon couldn't get the keys out of the door fast enough. Stumbling, he finally jerked the door open and pressed Elena to his chest. He kicked the door shut and threw the keys to the ground. He crushed her mouth to hers, feeling the heat, and electricity spiral between them. He had craved her taste for over two years—her palpable desire—that belonged only to him.

Elena led him down the dark hallway to her room, lips and body parts fighting to touch every surface. She whimpered against his mouth, earning a moan from deep within his throat.

Damon grabbed the hem of her shirt and broke away just long enough to pull it over her head. His lips found hers again as he grabbed her bottom and pulled her up, legs wrapping around his waist. He placed her on the edge of her bed, her body pressing on top of hers. He felt her crumbling underneath him, soaking up everything he was giving her.

"You know I'm not doing this without hearing you say it first," Damon growled against her ear, his left hand gripping her breast through her bra. She arched her back as his mouth kissed her neck, marking exactly where he had been and where he would always want to be. "You need to say it," he repeated, squeezing her breast harder.

"Damon…"

He bent in between her legs and slowly unzipped her jeans. He let his finger played with the button, finally popping it and exposing her panties.

He dropped his mouth just above the panty-line and sucked her skin hard. She moaned as her body arched off the bed to meet his greedy lips.

"I need to know you want this, Elena."

"I-I thought we were just friends…" Elena whimpered weakly as Damon began ripping his own shirt off.

His lips continued grazing her skin, slowly brushing her panties down so his mouth could explore lower. He felt goose bumps rose as she shuddered underneath him.

"We weren't friends, Elena," Damon growled roughly. He lowered to his knees, yanking her pants down with him. He looped a finger in her panties and pulled them to the side. Then his mouth was on her. A moan rumbled up his throat as he inhaled her scent and tasted the deliciousness that was she. "We were never just friends."

Her hands fisted in his hair, squeezing with every lick his tongue drove into her. He pressed his hands into her hips, forcing her to arch them up deeper into his mouth. She screamed out at the intensity his mouth was causing her.

"Sweetheart," Damon said, slowly licking his tongue up her stomach. "I need to hear you say it."

"Say what?" Elena asked, breathy.

Damon smiled, amused, because he knew she knew what he had wanted to hear. "Say it, Elena," he demanded, his tongue making its way to her bra, yanking it down to cover her nipple with his lips. He sucked hard, getting a mumbled moan out of her. His hand reached down to her swollen clit, rubbing his thumb in circles as she convulsed. Her body jerked as she got closer to release, but he slowed down before she could.

And then, just before he picked the pace back up, her entire body jerked, moving out from under him.

"Stop," Elena pleaded. She pushed her hands roughly against his chest as she rolled away from him. She swung her legs off the bed, frantically looking for her clothes.

Damon was off the bed and in front of her before she could put any clothing on. "What happened?" His voice was eager and worried he was going to lose her again.

"I-I can't do this." Elena shook her head.

"Talk to me." He grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him, her eyes swelling with tears.

"Please leave." She pulled out of his grip and leaned down to grab her shirt off the floor.

"You don't have to ask me to leave, Elena. We can talk," Damon said sincerely. He didn't want them to leave on bad terms.

"I don't want to talk. I just…I need to think."

"What's there to think about? You know how I feel about you."

Elena spun around, her face tense and bright red. "You broke me!" she screamed. She shook her head, defeated. "I loved you and you broke me. You let me walk away and you never told me how you really felt. If you loved me, you would have fought for me," she declared, angrily. "And now I'm scared! I'm scared I will get hurt again!"

"I broke you?" Damon questioned, loudly. "Well, you destroyed me! You were the only one I have ever loved, Elena, and letting you walk away was the only thing I could do to make sense of how I felt about you."

Elena froze in place, the blood drains from her face as she responded. "You loved me?"

Damon closed the gap between them and grabbed her arms, jerking her body towards him. "Yes," he growled. "I still love you."

Tears began falling down her cheeks, her eyes staring up at him in shock. "Do you have any idea how long I have waited to hear that?" she sobbed. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I was scared," Damon admitted. "Katherine hurt me. I didn't want to get close to another person. I didn't think I wanted to love."

Her tears came faster as she choked on sobs. He brushed her tears away and laid a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I need some time."

After a tense moment he nodded. "How long?"

"I don't know."

"And while you are debating about how deep you dare to go, what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to wait and pace and wonder if you are going to give us another chance?"

"Please, Damon…"

"Fine, I will go home and sleep alone."

He walked past her, scooping his shirt off the floor and pulling it over his head before darting out the door.

* * *

 **Merry Christmas! I hope this Christmas and the coming New Year will bring you guys/gals happiness, joy and good health:)**

 **Thank you so much the support and kind reviews. I hope you will enjoy this chapter:)**


	26. Chapter 26

Damon didn't know what to feel once he left Elena's condo. He told her to call him when she was ready right before he walked out.

He couldn't blame her. Both of them had hurt each other deeply. He had tried so hard not to think about her, or to remember her, or to feel anything before he met her again in Atlanta. He had torn her out of his mind and heart, and he wanted to keep her out permanently. But he had failed miserably.

He didn't go back to Zach's condo. Instead he drove to the gym—the only place he could go when he felt like this. He let himself in and locked it back up. Rose didn't usually mind as long as he remembered to shut everything down when he was done.

Damon hit the bag hard, working on kicks and punches as the music blasted through the stereo system. When he had had enough, he moved to the treadmill and ran five miles. Before he got into kickboxing, he began working out a lot and really got into running. It was soothing and helped clear his head, however now, his head was anything but clear.

He drank some water and recharged, not yet done. His body was buzzing as the pain intensified, but he didn't care. It was not enough. He went to the weight room and worked on his arms, legs, and abs. His blood was pumping fiercely through his veins, his body burning with pain.

Damon finally collapsed on the floor, panting for air as his chest raised and fell rapidly. It was the most intense workout he had ever had, and he still couldn't get the taste of her out of his mouth.

That was ten days ago.

And not one word from Elena.

He wondered what Elena was doing now.

Was she thinking about him?

Would she call him?

He couldn't keep on waiting for her forever, could he?

He still have to run Salvatore Enterprise.

x x x

Damon's words made Elena's chest ache.

When the hell did he fall in love with her? Why did he never tell her?

God, this was such a damn mess!

She collapsed on her bed, her eyes sore and bloodshot. She didn't want to cry anymore. She hated crying. She just wanted to crawl into a ball and have her father make everything better.

Her father had been on her mind more and more as the 'date' got closer. For two years, since Damon had told her about her father's gambling addiction and opening the lock box after ten years, her life had been in limbo—just waiting for the day until she could get all the answers that she had been begging for. At least, she had hoped that was what she would get. There had to be something in that box that put all the pieces together.

Elena woke up the next morning not feeling any better. She was not even sure she had slept. She wondered what Damon was doing now and if he was waiting, hoping she would call.

Could she let him back in?

She told Matt all the details and he flashed her his mischievous grin, silently telling her 'I told you so," but he didn't rub it in her face.

"Just take a few days to yourself. If Damon really loves you, he will wait. He will wait until you're ready," Matt reassured her.

"What if I'm never ready?" Elena asked. "What if I forever live with remorse and guilt?"

"You won't. You just need some time to adjust and to really think about what is going to make you happy. No distractions."

"Are you sure?"

"Elena, you are in love with him. He is in love with you. Why not just make it that simple?"

"Before Damon, I never even thought I could love someone. I didn't feel any of those emotions with the boys I had dated previously. So why did Damon have such an impact on me? Why is he different?"

"You don't always get to chose who you love. Sometimes love chooses you and you just roll with it. Don't question love, or fate butts his ugly ass in and messes everything up."

Could it really be that simple? Could she just say yes to Damon and they would be happy?

Elena took Matt's advice and had some time to herself. Not speaking to Damon allowed her to clear her head—just focusing on what she wanted.

Damon was right.

 _Either you wade in and risk everything to play the game, or you don't play at all. And if you don't play, you can't win._

Elena woke up refreshed and decided today was going to be the day. She was going to go to Damon and tell him that she had been in love with him, and she had never stopped. She was going to tell him she wanted everything he had to offer—whatever that might be.

Her nerves were making her shaky and anxious as she drove into the gym parking lot. It had been ten days since she had last seen Damon, and she couldn't help the giddy feeling that overcame her with seeing him again.

Elena hadn't been back to her kickboxing class in the last ten days, but she knew he hadn't left Atlanta yet. And this was something she needed to say to his face, not over the phone.

She swung the front door open and scanned the place for any sighting of Damon. There were fewer cars in the parking lot than usual, so she knew there weren't any classes going on right now.

Elena walked past the studio and some of the workout rooms thinking Damon must be in his office if he was not out on the floor. She hadn't been back here before, but there were three different offices leading to the back.

Out of a sudden she heard a woman's laughter—one she had heard before—coming from the first office. The other gym instructor. She could recognize her laugh for miles—nasally and loud. She always found something so funny as she was clawing her nails into Damon's bicep.

Elena jumped at the sound of the door opening, but before she could quickly walk away without being noticed, it was Damon's face that made her froze.

His left arm was wrapped around the woman as he was looking down at her, smiling. She was perfectly tucked into his arm, her right arm wrapped around his waist.

His face finally tilted up, and when he noticed Elena, his smile dropped. "Elena…"

Elena could hear the shock in his voice, but it did nothing for the ache that was brewing in her chest.

The woman's eyes flashed between them as a grin formed on her face. She released Damon's hold as she pushed her hand out in front of Elena.

"You are Elena? Hi, I'm Rose. I have heard so much about you."

Elena's eyebrows raised, wondering why Damon told his new fling of the month about her.

She finally took Rose's hand aggressively and shook it. "Hi, Rose. Sorry I haven't heard anything about you. But it is clear it hasn't taken Damon long to move on." She released Rose's hand and looked up at Damon, her eyebrows narrowed at him. "It has been…what, ten days?"

"Elena…" Damon began, but Elena cut him off.

"Ten days!" Elena yelled, unable to control the fire that was building inside her. "You couldn't even wait ten days! Or was she before, during, and now after?" she snapped.

"That's enough," Damon scowled, his mouth forming into a firm line. Elena looked and saw a knowing grin on Rose's face. She hated Rose.

"Go ahead. Have him. He is good at ruining lives."

Elena scowled at both of them not even hiding the anger and hurt she was feeling. She spun around to walk out the door.

She felt Damon directly behind her, but she continuing stalking out. She felt him gripped her elbow, grabbing her and turning her to face him.

"Let me go."

His lips curled up into an angry scowl, his eyes hooded and a bit amused.

"I'm not letting you go, Elena. Not now, not ever."

"Sorry, but I'm not into the whole ménage à trois thing. Plus, I don't share." Elena tried to yank her arm out, but Damon gripped it firmer, pulling her closer to his chest.

Damon leaned in close to her ear as he growled, "She is not interested in me. Rose is just a friend."

"What?" Elena asked, confused. "I saw her hanging all over you. I saw her hanging all over after each class. I'm not blind."

Damon pulled back, grabbing her hand in his as he walked them into an empty studio. He slammed the door and pressed her into it, his body weighted firmly against her.

"You are either blind or ignorant." He pressed both of his hands flat against the door right above her shoulders, towering over her.

"And you are an asshole." Elena tried to ignore the rush of feelings that were consuming her from having Damon this close to her, but it was hard considering she could feel his arousal against her hips.

"Rose is married," Damon said with amusement. "Even if I were interested, she won't be interested because she loves her husband. I have known her for over a year, so yes, I have spoken some about you."

He pressed himself into her harder, telling her exactly what was on his mind. This whole time…Elena thought he was a manwhore, flaunting Rose around like some prized possession just to piss her off.

"Are you done accusing me of being a dirty player now?"

Elena looked up at him, not really sure what she should be feeling right now. "I never called you a dirty player," she retorted.

"It was well implied." His voice was no longer filled with anger, rather he sounded amused by the fact that she thought Rose was after him this whole time. He smiled wide, leaning in closer towards her. "I have missed you."

Damon nuzzled his nose into her neck, her body staying frozen as Damon consumed her—his scent, his touch, his body fully reminding her of everything she had been missing the past two years.

"Did you come back for me?" His mouth landed below her earlobe, his lips making a path down her neck. "Otherwise, this may get awkward."

Elena smiled wide as she felt him smirked against her flushed skin. Goose bumps appeared, butterflies took over her stomach, and soon, she was holding the door just to keep her balance.

"Yes…" she whimpered. "Of course, I came back." Her eyes closed as his lips sucked on her collarbone, heat rushing in between her thighs as she thought about how amazing his lips were.

"Come on."

Damon grabbed her hand and led her to the other side of the studio, pulling her into a back-stretching room.

"What are we doing?" Elena asked, his hand gripping her. Their fingers were intertwined, firmly holding each other as if their lives depend on it. Her emotions were all over the place, but one thing she knew for sure was that Damon was the only one that made her feel this way—the control he held over her body, the intense ache she felt when she was around him, the disappointing loss when they weren't together—she had never felt these things with anyone before.

"We needed some privacy. I wasn't about to give every guy out there a free show." Damon shut and locked the door behind him. "And we need to talk."

Elena stood anxiously, wanting to get this awkward conversation out of the way so she could finally tell him what she needed to say.

He cupped her face, leaning in, but he didn't kiss her. "Ten days." She heard his pained tone deep within his voice. She made him waited ten painful days without knowing what was going on…

"I'm sorry. I just…needed time to deal with things. And to think."

"And?" His brows rose in anticipation. One of his hands lowered to her hip, forcing their bodies closer together.

"And I realized that you are it for me." Elena looked up at him, watching the expression in his face. "No matter how much time has passed or how much hurt we have felt—it has always been you. And I woke up this morning not wanting to spend another day apart from you." He smiled so wide it practically reached his eyes. "I love you, Damon. I always have."

Damon had been dying to hear those three words for what felt like a lifetime. God, even the way her voice cracked was sexy. Elena was looking up at him pleadingly, begging for him to take control.

He pressed their bodies together, cupping her face so she looked directly into his eyes when he repeated those very words back to her.

"Elena…I love you. I love you so much, it has pained me to not to say those words every single day to you. I knew I did, but I didn't know how to handle it. Once I found out the truth, it freaked me out, and no matter how hard I tried to push thoughts of you out, I couldn't completely. I never could. And I never will."

Elena sniffed back the tears that were threatening to flow over. Who knew Damon could be so tender and sweet, yet domineering and hot. He was a triple threat that held all the qualities that she loved and wanted. He was her perfect other half and that was something she was not willing to let go of again.

"We had messed up," she muttered, hardly believing the rollercoaster ride it had taken to bring them here. "I hate that I hurt you so badly. I hate that I made you wait, that I left, and that I ever thought you were someone you aren't."

"Stop." He placed a finger over her mouth, not letting her continue. He leaned down and brushed his lips gently against hers. "Never regret what brought us right here, right now. We had to struggle to get to where we are, and I'm quite enjoying where we are right now."

It had been too long.

She didn't want to wait a second longer.

She wrapped a hand around his neck, pushing his mouth against hers finally. His hands held firmly on her hips, moulding them together. She moaned and panted against his lips, not wanting to ever break this kiss. His taste consumed her, heating every part of her body that begged him to touch her.

She whimpered when Damon tore his mouth away from hers.

"Let's get out of here."

* * *

 **Finally!** _  
_

 **What do you guys/gals think?**

 **Sorry for the delay in updating the chapter. Unfortunately I had to work during the Christmas period. I will try my best to keep up with my writing in the next few days. Hopefully you will enjoy this chapter:) And thank you again for all the support and wonderful reviews.**


	27. Chapter 27

With her eyes closed and a smile on her lips, Elena awakened slowly in her bed. Trust and commitment, she sleepily decided, evidently had a very profound effect on lovemaking, because last night's stormy lovemaking had completely eclipsed everything else that had gone before.

Sunlight filtered through the draperies across the room, and she rolled over onto her back, opening her eyes. Damon had kissed her good-bye a while ago, and said he was going out to get some sweet rolls for their breakfast. He had left a cup of coffee on the table beside the bed for her, and she eased up onto the pillows.

She had just taken a sip when he walked into the room with a white bakery bag in his hand, a folded newspaper under his arm, and a smile on his handsome face. "Good morning," she said, smiling as he bent over to kiss her.

"Morning," Damon replied sweetly. "I have missed you." He traced a finger down her face, pulling a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Really?"

"Mm hmm." His finger slid down her chin and neck, landing directly over her scar. He traced the outline several times before leaning over and pressing a light kiss over it.

Elena closed her eyes briefly, thoughts of her father consuming her.

"I want a tattoo."

Damon looked surprised. "Really?"

"On my right shoulder."

There was a brief pause before she spoke again

"I'm going to have the words Let it be written across my shoulder and a princess crown on my shoulder blade. It was his nickname for me, and I think it will help bring me closure, no matter the outcome. I don't want to keep holding onto hope that the lock box will give me answers, so I want to remind myself to let it be—that I can't let it be the reason I stop living my life."

Damon soothingly rubbed her face, his thumb circling over her jaw. "I love it. But don't give up so easily. The Elena Gilbert I know is prepared to break into anything she has to get what she wants." He cracked a smile, amused.

"Well, perhaps I'm turning a new leaf. I want to move forward. I can't do that if I'm constantly hung up on the past. I want us to move forward together. And I can't do that if I'm hung up on the past—something I can't control."

Damon leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, putting his body weight on top of her so Elena was forced to roll over on her back. He brushed his hands through her hair, lightly tugging as he moaned in her mouth.

"Just promise me one thing," he said, breaking the kiss.

"What's that?"

"Wait to get the tattoo until after you get to open it."

"That's almost a year away," Elena protested.

"You are not a very patient person." Damon smirked.

Elena lowered her hand in between them, feeling his male hardness with her fingers. "No….." Her smile widened. "No, I'm not."

x x x

"Do we ever have to get out of bed?" Elena whined playfully as Damon's and her legs were intertwined together, sheets and blankets laid messily on the edge of the bed.

"If it were up to me, hell no."

Elena leaned up on one elbow and faced Damon. "What's going to happen when you go back to work? How are we going to make this work?" She hated being a mood killer, but she needed to know.

Damon brushed her hair off her face, stroking his finger gently. "I will do anything to be with you, Elena. Just tell me what you need."

Elena sighed because honestly, she didn't know. "I really like my job here in Atlanta…"

"Do what will make you happy. I will be right there with you."

"What about your career?"

"I will work something out."

"You are kind of an arrogant ass," she mocked his overconfidence.

"Your arrogant ass," he countered.

"Good. I will take it." She bit her lip, hiding the giddy smile that was threatening to display. God, how did he make her this person? "I want to have a shower."

"Mm…" Damon kissed her ear lobe, biting gently. "A shower sounds nice…perfect actually."

He scooped Elena off the bed, dangling her legs over his arms. She linked her arms around his neck as he carried her into the bathroom and set her gently on the countertop.

"Ah, that's cold," she winced.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm about to warm you right up."

Damon kneeled in between her legs, spreading them wide as his mouth found her lips. Her whole body was aching for him, craving him—she could never get enough.

He devoured her, leaving her gasping and moaning as his tongue proved his talent over and over again. She came on his tongue hard. He swiped his tongue up her slit, sucking gently on her clit as she fisted his hair, pulling his locks in between her fingers.

"Oh, yes…" Her body crumbled against him as another wave of pleasure hit her. "Damon!"

Damon stood up grinning at her as he purposely licked his lips. "You were dirty…" His voice was thick with amusement. "I had to clean you up."

Elena put a finger to his chest and ran it down to his abdomen. "I guess that means I should clean you up next."

He leaned into her and whispered, "I'm very dirty. Make sure you clean me thoroughly."

Elena pushed against him and hopped off the counter. She turned the water on and stepped into the shower, leaving the door open for Damon.

He followed suit and stepped in the shower after her. His eyes widened as he saw Elena already on her knees waiting for him.

"Christ, Elena…" He shut the door behind him and looked at her with hunger in his eyes. "You look so sexy like that—waiting for me. Only me."

Elena bit her lip in anticipation. She opened her mouth wide for him, letting him angle himself inside her. She closed her lips tightly around him and stroke him with her mouth.

The water cascaded over them, making his body slick and defined. His hard muscles never seize to amaze Elena, but the way he looked was breathtaking.

Damon leaned back, giving her all of him. She worked her hands on his shaft, rotating her hands up and down as she worked the tip. He groaned, grabbing a fistful of her hair as she picked up the pace. She released him, licking a path from his shaft to the tip, and pulling him inside her once more before he released. She loved that Damon gave every part of him to her—every perfect inch of his body.

"Jesus, sweetheart," he growled, lifting her up by her arms. "Your mouth is heaven."

He gripped the back of her neck and crushed their mouths together—desperation and love consuming both of them.

They each took their time washing each other's bodies, slowly exploring one another again. Elena could never get enough of the sight of Damon, the way he made her feel, and the way he craved her just as much as she craved him. She didn't want it to end—this moment or them.

x x x

Life with Elena was natural despite not being with her all the time. She brought out the young side of Damon. She brought out the playful side of him. Better yet, she brought out the loving side of her.

She had helped him in so many ways. Learning how to forgive. Learning how to love unconditionally. Learning how to accept the things he couldn't control.

Kickboxing first became an outlet for Damon to help him forget. He didn't want to let go, he wanted to forget. Forget what Katherine did. Forget how badly he loved Elena.

But now kickboxing had become an interesting task. He would fly to Atlanta every Friday night if he wasn't busy and spend the weekend with Elena. She would join him in the kickboxing class he taught on Saturday evening. It was the best thing that could ever happen to him.

Today was all about Elena.

The day she could open the box.

Damon could barely contain the emotions that were flooding through him. He could hardly imagine what was going through Elena's mind.

"Sweetheart, it's all right to not be okay today," Damon reminded her for the fourth time. She was putting a façade on, but he could see right through her.

"I don't want to be sad."

"I know. But if you need to cry, you can. Let it go…if you need to."

"Thank you," Elena said, looking up at him with a straight face.

Damon smiled weakly down at her, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "You don't have to thank me. I wouldn't miss this for anything."

"Not for that," she said softly. "Thank you for everything—investigating it even when I had hurt you, supporting me when I let it consume me, coming with me. Always understanding. I know I come with a lot of baggage."

"Sweetheart…" Damon leaned down and brushed her lips gently, closing a soft kiss on her mouth.

Elena had been searching for answers of her father's death, and now today, she would get them.

Hopefully.

Damon's biggest fear was this wouldn't give her answers. He feared it would only add more questions. Worse, he feared it wouldn't give her the closure she needed to move on.

Spending the last few months with Elena had been perfect. They had loved. They had fought. They had tested one another. They had grown closer. Everything about being with Elena was a life lesson. Damon had never done the relationship thing, but for her, he wanted to.

But now…he had wanted much more.

He didn't want this date to be tainted with the death of her dad. He didn't want this date to come every year and her to be sad. He wanted to make this date would be aa date she remembered because it made her happy.

Elena rubbed her sweaty palms down her pants as she and Damon walked into the bank. They had called ahead of time to let the bank know they were coming. Jeremy couldn't come because of exams in the university and her mother said she couldn't bear to see what was in there.

Part of Elena believed that her mother knew, or at least suspected what was in there. It was a very legit reason why she hid the code in the first place. Whatever it was, Elena was ready. She had waited long enough for this.

"Miss Gilbert, I will need to see your license, social security card, and birth certificate before I can give you access."

Elena nodded, handing everything over to the female officer. She already knew what was expected. She wasn't going to let anything get in her way of getting inside that box.

"Thank you," the officer said, handing Elena back all her documents.

Elena trembled as the officer led into the back. She anticipated what she was about to find. She just wanted closure. Anything to give her a piece of her father back.

"It has been set up for you already on the desk." The officer gestured her hands behind her where the metal box was laying. "Take as long as you need." She smiled genuinely just before walking away and giving them privacy.

Damon pressed a hand on the small of Elena's back, leading her in. She swallowed deeply as she stood in front of the box she had thought of relentlessly for the past two years. This was it.

This was really it.

She rubbed her fingers together, hesitating momentarily before entering the code from the post-it note. She heard it unlocked and she stopped breathing.

Elena bowed her head, unable to open it just yet. Her body was shaking at just the thought of touching something her father had once touched. But she had come too far now to back away.

"I'm ready," she said, more to herself than to Damon, but he nodded anyway encouraging her to open it.

The first thing Elena noticed was a manila envelope. There were two of them—one with names—Jeremy and hers—written on them. There was another envelope, but it was much thicker. She grabbed it and felt pictures inside. She flipped it open and was immediately hit with a flashback from her childhood. She flipped a few over and realized her father had written something on the back of every picture—over two hundred of them.

"What are those?" Damon asked.

Elena laughed lightly, scanning through all the silly ones. "Pictures of my dad and us."

"You were pretty cute as a child." She looked up and saw Damon's grin.

"I wonder why he has these in here."

Elena flipped through some more and landed on a picture of her father and her. It was the last birthday she had with him—her eleventh birthday party. He was standing behind her as she was blowing out the candles of her birthday cake. She laughed lightly to herself as she took in her face—her cheeks pudgy from holding air in just before she went to blow it all out. Her father was standing behind her smiling, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. God, he looked happy. She had no clue that deep inside he was hurting.

She quickly wiped away the tear that fell down her cheek. She didn't want to cry. At least not yet.

She decided to open the envelope that was labelled with her name. Her hands began sweating again as she held the couple of pieces of paper in her hand. She set the envelope down and slowly unfolded the paper.

 _To my Princess,_

 _I hope you are reading this on good terms. I have my reasons for making you wait so many years, baby girl. I don't know if your mother told you about the safe box or not, but I sure hope you get to it soon._

 _First, I know you have a lot of questions. I know you were too young to understand. But please know that what I did was to protect you. You, Jeremy, and your mum are my world and I promised your mum I'd do anything to keep you all safe._

 _I had to keep that promise, princess._

 _I planned my own murder._

 _Damn, that hurts to write down on paper. But it is only fair that after all this time you know the truth._

 _I did this to protect you, sweetheart. Please understand that. Please know I'm so upset I won't be around to watch you grow up, to watch you enter high school, go to prom, get your first car, your first job, your high school graduation, your college graduation, your wedding, and all the babies I know you will have. This is my deepest regret, but I made a big mistake. And you didn't deserve to be in the middle of it. Only I could fix it. The only way was to be out of the picture for good._

 _There are some bad men after me, and I know they would come for you and Jeremy if I didn't disappear. Except they wouldn't stop until they got their money. Money I didn't have._

 _I told your mum to use the life insurance money to pay them off for good. I also told her to burn the note._

 _It was the only way, baby girl. Please believe me when I say I tried everything to fix this and make this right._

 _Please know I love you. I love you so much that I'd rather be dead than let anyone harm you._

 _I love you, Princess._

 _And remember…don't let one mistake keep you from taking on the world._

 _Love,_

 _Dad_

Elena's knees hadn't stopped shaking since she read the first paragraph. They gave out completely when her father confessed he had himself killed. Damon caught her just in time, but he kneeled down with her as she sobbed through the rest of the letter. She was not even sure how she finished reading it, but she couldn't stop. She kept waiting for some punchline, or something else, but it ended and it never came.

How could her father do this to her? How could he plan this and let his own family suffer?

It didn't make sense.

And her mother knew. Or she knew enough.

Elena tried to put the pieces together, but the sobs continued. Her face was covered in her uncontrollable sobs. Damon continued to hold her as she cried on the floor with him, her fingers gripping the letter.

"Shh…sweetheart," he soothed, brushing his hand through her hair. "Talk to me, Elena," he pleaded.

Her chest rose rapidly as she tried to get the words out, but every time she tried, a sob released instead.

Damon rubbed her back as he kept her pressed against him, holding her tight. She was not sure how long they sat there, but he didn't release her until the tears had dried up.

He ran the pads of his thumb under each eye, wiping away the tears so she could at least see clearly.

"He was in trouble," Elena blurted out, knowing Damon would understand considering he already found out about his gambling addiction. "He owed money and didn't have it," she continued, trying to remain strong so she could keep it together long enough to tell him. She looked into his pleading eyes and said it aloud. "He planned it. He had to die in order to protect us and pay off whomever he owed. He planned everything." She got the words out, but the tears were right behind them. She buried her head in his chest as he held her tighter and her body continued to tremble.

"I don't understand!" She yelled into his shirt. "How could he leave us? How could he leave me when I needed him the most?"

It felt good to scream. Although deep down Elena understood why her father did what he did, but it didn't make it any easier. She was relieved to know the truth, but now she wished Jeremy and her mother were here with her.

"Sweetheart, let's go." Damon tilted her head up, concern laced in his tone and face. She nodded, agreeing that she needed to get out of here. She grabbed everything out of the box and locked it back up.

* * *

 **Thank you for the support and wonderful reviews. I'm really glad to know my readers are enjoying this story.**

 **I will try to finish this story before year 2017 comes to an end.**

 **This year has been great for me and I'm so excited to know a few wonderful friends here through this Delena fanfiction website.**

 **May this coming New Year brings you guys/gals good health, happiness and joy!**


	28. Chapter 28

Nothing could have prepared Damon for what would be in that lock box. He had hoped closure, but now he was not so sure Elena would ever have that.

Not having her mother here wasn't helpful because she knew much more than Elena and he ever did, but he also believed it was good Elena did this on her own. She had so many questions, now she finally had her answers—even if they were devastating.

"I wonder why he waited all these years," she rambled as they drove back to Damon's apartment. He squeezed her hand, knowing that he couldn't give her any of those answers.

"He had a reason, sweetheart. You just have to trust him."

"Trust him?" Elena squealed, turning her head towards him. "He left me!"

Damon didn't argue with her because he knew it wouldn't do any good. She was upset. She had every right to be. He knew she would need some time before she could calm down.

Once they got back to his apartment, Elena collapsed on the bed and sobbed. Damon grabbed her and made her lay next to him. She pushed away, making it impossible to comfort her, but he didn't care.

"Sweetheart, stop fighting me. Let me hold you," he growled. Her body finally relaxed as his arms wrapped around her. She cried into his chest until her body went limp and she fell asleep.

Damon ran his fingers together, debating whether or not he should still propose to her today. He wasn't prepared, and now he was starting to think he was a major asshole for wanting to take this day away from her.

Elena stirred awake, but she didn't let go of the grip she had on his shirt. She wiggled in close to him and tilted her head up at him.

Damon brushed a finger over her cheek and smiled down at her. "Feeling better?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I dreamt about him. I haven't dreamt about him in awhile, so I don't think it is a coincidence."

Damon leaned in and kissed her forehead, relieved she was feeling better.

"It scares me to think of what my dad must have been feeling that day—knowing that was the day. He was so happy that morning. He made us all pancakes. I wanted ham, but Jeremy wanted bacon so he made both." She laughed lightly. "Mum slept in that day. Knowing what I know now, I guess she probably hadn't been sleeping too well. If they were fighting, she was probably stressing."

"Your dad loved you," Damon told her. "It is evident in the way he wanted to protect you."

Elena sank into him deeper and sighed. "I know. That is what hurts the most, I think. Knowing the amount of love our family had and having it be ripped away from us seems so unfair."

"Addiction is an awful disease. It tears people apart. He was apparently involved with some pretty influential people."

"Do you think my mother knew?" she asked, her eyelashes flickering up at him. "That he planned it?"

Damon shrugged. "I'm sure once she read the note it was easy to speculate, knowing the money troubles he got himself involved in. She had to know who to give the money to." She nodded, agreeing. "She wanted to protect you too, Elena. That's why she didn't want to tell you too much—keep the memories you had and let them be the ones you remember of your dad."

She nodded again, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. Damon could tell her emotions were all over the place. And so today, he was just going to hold her.

Elena and Jeremy finally looked through the pictures together and sobbed. He couldn't believe the truth either but he could understand why their mother had wanted to protect the family.

If the people Grayson had worked for ever found out they knew the truth, they could come back for them. It was too much of a risk for Miranda to ever say anything, so she had kept her mouth shut all these years.

Experiencing this with Damon had made it all worth it. Elena finally felt closure from her father's death. She felt complete.

"How are you doing?" Damon asked, looking concerned.

"It has been a week. I'm fine," she answered.

"Good, because I want you to be happy."

Elena smiled at him. "Yes, I'm happy."

Capturing her hand, Damon drew it to his lips, dropping light, soft kisses to her palm. "You are the most incredible woman; do you know that?"

"I didn't know. Why don't you tell me?" she winked at him.

His hand moved to the back of her neck, guiding her mouth to His. I flipped her in one smooth motion, his mouth never leaving hers. One moment she was sitting next to him, and the next, she was spread out on the bed beneath him. Legs parting to accept his body, she wrapped her arms around his back, and her hips shifted longingly against his groin, whimpering into his mouth when his hard erection pushed against her mound.

Elena bucked and slipped her hands between their bodies, unsnapping her jeans and ripping at the zipper to get them undone. She wriggled, making him lift up while she lowered her jeans and panties enough to kick them off her legs. "Damon, I need you. I want you. Please love me."

Damon groaned as he reared up and tore open my jeans, yanking them down. And then, miraculously, he entered her with one strong thrust. She hissed as he slammed into her, stretched her, and possessed her completely. Hands entwined, his fingers squeezed hers. His heart ached as his body joined again and again with Elena's, knowing that this moment was pivotal, extraordinary and special.

She arched her back and his mouth covered hers. He groaned into her mouth, entwining his marauding tongue with hers, as he buried myself one last time deep inside her, his body trembling above her as he came, flooding her womb with heat.

Dragging his mouth away from her lips, his face fell against her neck. "You are incredible," he chanted breathlessly against her skin. She freed herself and wrapped her arms around him, threading her hands through his sweat-soaked hair, cradling his head against her neck. He was completely lost in Elena. Completely. Utterly. Willingly.

After an unknown amount of time, Damon rolled off of Elena. "I'm heavy. I'm sorry."

Curling into his side, she whispered softly, "It was fine. I like being so close to you."

"But I don't like squashing you," Damon said as he wrapped one arm around Elena protectively and stroked the hair from her face with another.

"Thank you, Damon," Elena said softly.

"For what?" Damon asked, puzzled.

"For what just happened. For trusting me. For accepting who I'm. For loving me. For everything."

Meeting Damon had changed her life, and she would have never taken back the journey they had been on to get where they were right now.

Because right now everything was perfect.

x x x

Elena laid her head on Damon's shoulder as they flew over the Atlantic Ocean, heading to Europe for an exclusive interview that Damon had taken on for Salvatore Enterprise. Maintaining a long-distance relationship was hard work but they had tried to make it work. Although Damon was very keen to ask Elena to join Salvatore Enterprise, he knew she wouldn't want to work with him in the same place. He had set up an office in Atlanta even though he knew his father wasn't pleased with the idea of expanding the business. He wanted to spend more time with Elena and he desperately wanted this relationship to work.

When you wanted something so badly, you would try very hard to make it work. Damon had never felt happier in his life until he met Elena. He wanted a future with her.

They landed in France and took the next day to adjust to the time difference, sleeping and ordering room service before Damon had to work for the next four days. He had also arranged a special even for his proposal. He didn't think Elena would be expecting it. He had been planning the event for months, wanting to give her something she would absolutely love.

Damon had had her ring for a year, but the timing had never seemed appropriate. He knew she needed time to digest her father's letter and to accept everything the way it was.

"I feel like I could sleep for a week," Elena groaned, grabbing the covers and curling up into a ball in the middle of the king size bed. She looked gorgeous—her long dark brown hair spiralled out beneath her and face completely makeup free.

"C'mon, sweetheart." He lifted her off the bed and she whined. He carried her into the shower and turned on the water. She screamed as the cold water hit her first before it transitioned to warm water. "We can't be late today. We have a special event to attend."

"Where are we going?" she asked after their shower which had taken longer they had expected.

"A special event," he said, drying her off. "But we are so late."

Elena raised her brows. "You can't tell me about it?"

"No. But I'm sure you will love it." Damon smiled at her, ready to ask her the most important question of his life.

He wrapped a towel around my waist as she tucks hers under her arms. Her hair was messy and wet, but god, she was so stunning. This right here. This was perfection.

He grabbed her hands and kissed them softly as she looked at him. "You know how much I love you," he said, gripping her left hand in mine.

"As much as I love you," she said back, smirking.

"You have distracted me from what I had planned for today, but I'm okay with that. I want to have those distractions for the rest of my life. I want to make today a special memory for you. It will be a day we can both celebrate."

Her eyebrows narrowed. "What are you planning, Mr Salvatore?"

Damon leaned over and grabbed his pants that were holding that blue box he had had for a year now. He kneeled down, Elena's eyes widening as she saw the box in his hand. She stilled and all the air left her lungs as he continued.

"Elena Gilbert, sweetheart. I love you." Damon smiled, gripping her hand in his. "I have loved you long before I even knew I did, but my heart knew. My body knew. I have been waiting for a year to ask you this question…"

Her breath hitched and he heard her swallowed deeply.

"Elena, sweetheart," he continued, "will you spend a lifetime of love, adventures, and sometimes crazy with me? There is no one else I can imagine spending my life with. I want that with you. Forever." He opened the box in front of her, showing off the ring he had personally crafted just for her. "Will you marry me?"


	29. Epilogue

_31st December_

The sky overhead was alive with showers of dancing light and whirling shapes that chased each other heavenward and tumbled back down in a shimmering waterfall. Lying on a blanket with her head resting on her husband's shoulder, Elena watched the breathtaking display from the windows in the living room at Damon's apartment.

"This is beautiful," Elena whispered.

Damon smiled at her. "This is perfect."

They had been married for two years. Elena had brought joy to his life and laughter to his home. She thought he was beautiful. When she looked at him, he felt beautiful.

"Do you know what is on my mind now?"

"No, what?"

"I always wanted to make love to a woman who was watching fireworks over my shoulder."

Elena smiled at that, but she was remembering other things. She remembered when he held his son for the first time three months ago. He had carried him over to the windows of her hospital room, his expression filled with wonder, then turned him to the windows.

"Joseph," he said to the infant in his arms, "daddy loves you so much."

Damon studied her smile. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm remembering," she whispered.

"Would you like something else to remember?" he volunteered with a muffled laugh.

Elena withdrew her gaze from the fireworks. "Very much."

 _THE END_

* * *

 **Happy New Year! May Year 2018 brings good health, happiness and joy to all my readers and friends.**

 **Thank you so much for the support and kind review this whole year. It has been a wonderful year for me.**

 **I may take some time off from writing - I know some of my readers will be disappointed but I have written more than 15 Delena stories this year and I really need a break to recharge my brain cells, LOL! I don't have any bright ideas at this stage and I don't like writing in this situation. Give me some time to recharge and I will bring another wonderful Delena story in the new year, OK?**


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